Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

Virginia-willow, sweetspire

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Itea virginica

Family:

Iteaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

to 8 ft tall by to 6 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

Deciduous. Blooms in late spring. Can have red fall color.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Fall Color

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Use as a background plant in moist, shady areas. Charming when planted along a stream. Blooms are showy, longlasting.



Has a tendency to produce suckers, so best planted where it can be contained.

Considerations:

Availability:

Quality Nurseries, Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Seed, cuttings.

Light:

Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Stays wet ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators

Attracts a wide variety of insect pollinators.

Native Habitats:

Dome swamps, riverine swamps, seep slopes.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

While occurring naturally in wetlands, this plant makes a good shrub in reasonably moist uplands.