Plant Preference/Growing Conditions:

Prefers moist, rich and slightly acidic soil in wet areas with partial shade and sun. Usually found in moist forests and steam banks, and survives in places that often flood.  Though, this plant can thrive in dry soil as well. 

Growth Habit/Description:

Grows best in up to 6 hours of sun, and can grow up to 4-6 feet in height. Flowers to create small white flowers, used to produce new plants from laterally placed roots. 

Bloom Season:

Virginia Sweetspire flowers from spring to summer with bottle-brush clusters of small white flowers. 

Fall and/or Winter Interest?

Yes. In the fall and winter, the Virginia Sweetspire's leaves turn orange and red, and the stems develop a reddish hue. Leaves officially shed when the temperature drops to 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Host Plant for Caterpillars?

No. There are no known caterpillars that have Virginia Sweetspire as a host plant.

Other Known Ecological Value?

Virginia Sweetspire has dense root systems and a tendency to colonize and form thickets, lessening soil erosion in steep and moist areas.  Its flowers attract pollinators and its seeds are eaten by songbirds.

Origin of Name:  

Itea stems from the plant family Iteaceae, and virginica is the area in which it was first coined. 

Related Plant Species: 

Itea virginica belongs to the plant family Iteaceae, which are deciduous and evergreen shrubs, mostly found in Asia.  Many cultivars exist in the nursery trade, including Little Henry and Henry's Garnet.

Use For Food/Medicine:

Virginia Sweetspire is not edible, nor has any known medicinal value. 

Russ, Original Author(s)Karen, et al. “Virginia Sweetspire.” Home & Garden Information Center | Clemson University, South Carolina, 14 Sept. 2023, hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/virginia-sweetspire/.

“Planting Guide for Virginia Sweetspire - the Plant Native.” The Plant Native - Home of Native Plant Inspiration, 6 June 2024, theplantnative.com/plant/virginia-sweetspire/.

Tallamy, Doug. “Chapter Seven Insects: The Little Things That Run the World.” De Gruyter, University of Delaware Press, 27 Nov. 2020, www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.36019/9781644532003-009/pdf?licenseType=restricted.

“Itea Virginica.” Itea Virginica (Itea, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia Sweet Spire, Virginia Willow) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/itea-virginica/. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.

Last edited by Hartig, September 2024.