Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
[IT-ee-ah ver-JIN-ih-kah]

Deciduous Perennial Shrub in the Iteaceae Family
A native wetland shrub with fragrant spring flowers and fiery fall color.

Itea virginica, or Virginia sweetspire, is a deciduous native shrub found naturally along stream banks, swamp edges, and wet woodlands across the eastern and southeastern United States. In late spring to early summer, it produces slender, bottlebrush-like racemes of small, lightly fragrant white flowers that draw bees and butterflies. Its arching branches carry glossy green summer foliage that turns vivid shades of red, orange, and burgundy in fall, often holding color later into the season than many other native shrubs. Virginia sweetspire spreads gradually by root suckering, eventually forming a dense, multi-stemmed colony if left unchecked — a trait breeders have worked to tame in many of its popular garden cultivars.

Pros

  • Reliable, long-lasting fall color in shades of red, orange, and burgundy
  • Tolerates consistently wet soil, making it useful where many shrubs struggle
  • Fragrant flowers attract bees and butterflies
  • Adapts to full sun or considerable shade

Cons

  • Spreads by root suckering and can form dense colonies if not maintained
  • Straight species is more vigorous and less tidy than many compact garden cultivars
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 5 feet tall. 3 - 5 feet wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet
Zones 5a - 9b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Fall Color, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Good for Rain Garden, Low Maintenance, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Shrub, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant
Bloom Period June to July
Flower Color White
 

More Info from Experts
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Pricing and Availability History

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!