ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
small Henry ® sweetspire . pic by Proven Winners .
In an geezerhood of climate alteration and wildly irregular weather , we all postulate more plants in our gardens that can roll with the punches and still appear gorgeous , come what may . One such plant is Virginia sweetspire , a lasting aboriginal shrub that produce well in either sun or nuance and tolerates drouth as well as flooding rains .
Itea shrubs thrive in almost any grease case , including clay , and are hardy in all but the cold clime . Pests ? Not a job . concern requirement ? Minimal . And if all that is n’t telling enough , Virginia sweetspire is also minor in size and put up multiple seasons of interestingness , starting with a profusion of bottlebrush - same flower clusters in May and ending with spectacular fall foliage that stay colourful well into wintertime . Plus , it ’s deer tolerant and attract bees and butterflies .
On this varlet : Basics|Planting|Care|Pictures|Landscaping Tips
ITEA BASICS
Botanical name:
Itea virginica
Common names:
Virginia sweetspire , sweetspire , Virginia willow
Plant type:
Deciduous shrub
Zones:
5 - 9
Exposure:
Full sun to full shade
Mature size:
3 to 5 feet magniloquent with an adequate to slightly wider cattle ranch
Growth habit:
Rounded , with gracefully arc branches . spread slowly by lollipop to eventually form an open brushwood .
Growth rate:
Medium to fast
Bloom time:
May and June , with flowers live on 4 to 6 weeks
Flowers:
gently fragrant , star - mold white flowers bloom in clustering 3 to 6 in long .
Foliage:
Glossy , elliptical dark - green leaves turn brilliant refinement of orange , red-faced , gold , Burgundy wine , or cerise - purple in fall , depending on the cultivar . In sphere with mild winters , the leaves often hang in into December and beyond .
Related non-native species:
PLANTING ITEA
Scentlandia ® sweetspire fall color . Photo by Proven Winners .
When to plant:
Plant almost any time of class , although outflow and fall are typically the best prison term .
Where to plant:
In sun or refinement . For the proficient blooms and evenfall color , produce plants where they will receive 4 to 6 60 minutes of sunshine daily . A land site with morning sun and good afternoon tone is ideal .
How to plant:
Dig a hole twice as all-embracing and at the same deepness as the solution ball and set your bush in the cakehole so that the top of the root ball is at ground grade . Backfill with the excavated stain and water system thoroughly . To conserve soil wet , implement a 2- to 3 - inch layer of mulch around the planting area .
Spacing:
Varies count on the size at maturity and the intended use . For mass planting or solid hedges , blank plants a distance equal to their mature width .
ITEA CARE & MAINTENANCE
Pruning:
broadly not require unless you require to assert an attractive shape or take out utter or damaged branches . Likerhododendron shrubs , sweetspire develops flowers on former wood , so cut back your works in early summertime curtly after flowering to prevent the removal of next yr ’s flower buds .
Soil:
Adapts to almost any filth character and drain situation , even boggy condition . Prefers a slimly acidic humus - rich grease , but is also tolerant of poorer clay and neutral to more or less alkaline land .
Fertilizer:
fertilise in spring with a well - balanced granular fertilizer formulated for tree and bush . Additional feeding during the growing time of year is commonly unneeded .
Watering:
Because sweetspire typically inhabits wet grime along swampland and streambanks , it thrives in stain that ’s kept evenly moist . However , it will adapt well to average out moisture consideration and even permit curt menses of drouth after becoming established . Overwatering is rarely a problem .
Diseases and pests:
This is one of those rarified garden plants that has no serious pest or disease problem , although greensickness ( yellow of the leaf due to want of chlorophyl ) may go on if develop in highly alkaline soils .
Controlling spread:
Because sweetspire is a " suckering " shrub that diffuse by pushing up new shoots from the root organisation of the mother flora , it has a tendency to colonize over metre . Depending on how you plan to use the flora in your garden , you may need to keep suckering in check by cut off any undesirable root shoots that come out up , or plant it in an region it can be allowed to spread .
ITEA VARIETIES
Photo by : Proven Winners
small Henry ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersItea virginica’Spritch '
Height/Spread:
2 to 3 foot marvellous and wide
Fall foliage color:
Reddish Orange River
This dwarf form of ‘ Henry ’s Garnet ’ is a well choice for smaller garden and even works well as a shrubby ground cover when allowed to naturalise . In autumn , the leaves turn fiery ghost of red and orange that rival the fall semblance ofburning bush(Euonymus alatus ) .
Scentlandia ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersI. virginica
hopeful red orange
More fragrant than most , making it a bully selection for planting near a windowpane , patio , or entranceway . Butterflies and other pollinators will also flock to the fragrant bloom .
Fizzy Mizzy ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersI. virginica
Burgundy red
Similar to trivial Henry ® in size and form , but with one celebrated difference of opinion : the bloom stand good rather than drape downward . blossom spikes are sturdy and long - lasting .
2024 Landscape Shrub of the Year
Photo by ajisai13 / Shutterstock .
‘ Henry ’s Garnet’I. virginica’Henry ’s Garnet '
3 to 4 feet tall , 4 to 5 feet broad
Reddish purple
This flashy cultivar bears exceptionally large 6 - in - long flush clusters that cloak over the sheeny dark - immature leave . In fall , the leafage turn a rich garnet red ink and stay on into wintertime .
ITEA LANDSCAPING & DESIGN TIPS
Because of its compact size of it and adaptable nature , you may apply sweetspire in a multitude of way , both ornamentally and as a trouble solver in those areas of the garden where nothing else will brandish . Here are some ideas :
