Little Henry® Sweetspire (Itea)
Shrub
- Fragrant white flowers in attract pollinators to your landscape.
- Glorious, glowing fall color!
- Grows in shade and wet soil.
- Very heat tolerant native shrub.
- Zones 5-9, sun/part sun/shade, 3' tall x 3' wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent #: PP 10,988
Common name: Sweetspire, Virginia sweetspire, Itea
Zone: 5-9
Sun exposure: Full sun (6+ hours sun) , part-sun (4-6 hours sun), shade (<4 hours sun). Can take full shade, but flowering and fall color will be diminished.
Height x width: 2-3' tall and wide
Flower color: White
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Early summer to autumn
Bloom time: Early summer
Features: Proven Winners, native, fragrant, fall color, drought tolerant, deer resistant, container plants, best for beginners
Uses: Hedge, native plant gardens, wildlife gardens, ground cover
How to Grow
Light: Full sun (6+ hrs/day), part-sun (4-6 hrs/day), shade (<4 hours sun). Can grow in full shade, but flowering will be diminished, and fall color will not be as vivid.
Water: Average.
Space: 2 - 4'
Fertilizing: Little needed. If desired, fertilize in early spring, once the ground has thawed, with a granular rose fertilizer. A second application may be made in late spring/early summer as well.
Winterizing: Nothing special required, aside from a good 2-3" layer of mulch. Mulch is especially important in zones 5 and 6.
Maintenance & Pruning: Blooms on old wood, so should only be pruned after bloom. Dead wood can be removed in spring, once new growth has begun to emerge and it's clear where any dieback may have occurred.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
