Henry's Garnet Sweetspire

Henry’s Garnet Sweetspire is a broad rounded deciduous shrub that has long-lasting fall color.  The dark green oval leaves turn brilliant scarlet in fall and hold until early winter before being dropped.  Small fragrant white flowers bloom on drooping cylindrical racemes from spring into summer and are followed by berries.  Prefers rich, moist to wet well-drained soils.  Can form dense colonies if suckers are left unchecked.

Itea virginica is a host plant for the American Holly Azure butterfly if in the coastal plains, otherwise it acts as a food source for various bees and butterflies.  Birds may eat the seeds.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Low Maintenance.  Water regularly, then occasionally once established.  No serious disease or pest issues.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Naturalized Areas,  Ponds and Streams, Foundational Plantings, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS:  Lilac, Spirea, Periwinkle 

IMAGES: Wouter Hagens, Itea virginica D, CC BY-SA 4.0, (2) Wouter Hagens, Itea virginica B, CC BY-SA 3.0, (3) Photo (c)2006 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), Virginia Sweetspire Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet' Leaves 3008px, CC BY-SA 2.5, (4) Megan Hansen, Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet'

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown