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To see Virginia Sweetspire is to want it
Mississippi Gardens Newspaper and Web Column - April 28, 2003

Plants that have originated in a particular geographic location are often referred to as "native" plants. Some of these native plants, whether they are trees, shrubs, vines, etc., were likely dug out of the woods by our great, great grandparents for use in their yards and gardens. Many of these plants are still used in what we would now term "old-fashioned landscapes". There are good reasons why our ancestors used these plants, which include seasonal beauty, hardiness, durability and resistance to disease and insect pests. One of the old time favorites, Virginia Sweetspire, a.k.a. Virginia Willow, is an especially outstanding choice for Southern landscapes.

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) has many notable characteristics. It was most likely first brought into the landscape because of its gorgeous white, slightly fragrant flowers. Native durability and toughness are great characteristics, but the real reasons for choosing this plant is for the flowers that show up in late April to May and for the superb fall color.

When Virginia Sweetspire is used en masse, the 2 to 6 inch flowers are hugely impressive especially when grown in full sun with sufficient soil moisture. It's a deciduous, under-story, flowering shrub much like Flowering Dogwood is a deciduous under-story tree. In its native setting, which is often streamside, it grows with an open, airy form under the shade of larger trees or shrubs. When placed in full sun the foliage gets denser and the flowers are more abundant. Flowers are formed on the previous season's wood so we should always wait until after flowering to prune. In the fall, the leaves change to burgundy-purple which presents an attractive contrast to broadleaf evergreens in the landscape.

One of the many notable characteristics of Virginia Sweetspire is its tolerance of wet soils. The type of soils that doom many landscape shrubs is no challenge for this plant. It actually prefers moist to wet situations. Amazingly though, it has very good drought tolerance!

Since the early 80's, cultivars of Virginia Sweetspire have been selected for improved flower form, fall coloration and size variation. The most popular and widely available award winning cultivar is 'Henry's Garnet'. It has reddish purple fall color and flowers up to 6 inches long. It may grow 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide. 'Little Henry' is another one to consider. It has 3 to 4-inch flowers and a compact growth habit. 'Longspire' is a cultivar with 8-inch flower racemes and yellow-orange fall color.

Virginia Sweetspire is flowering now and really looks great. If you see it you will want it in your landscape. Plant them en masse for best effect. If given adequate sunlight and moisture they will supply many years of enjoyment.

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These archived columns were written by Kerry Johnson, a hobby gardener, former weekly newspaper columnist and an Area Extension Horticulture Agent for 11 coastal counties in Mississippi.