Uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world. Caption: Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) is a shrub that is blooming in the wetlands of Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.It grows to a height of eight to ten feet and bears white flowers on long narrow stems three to six inches long. Source Large Mammals Small Mammals Water Birds Terrestrial Birds; Cover. If you live in the eastern part of the country, consider one of these natives that also provide wonderful benefits for wildlife: Long tassles of small, white flowers bloom in spires all spring from arching branches on the native Virginia sweetspire shrub. Read on to find out. Alternate, dark green leaves turning brilliant red, orange and yellow in fall and early winter. Virginia Sweetpsire is a North American native shrub that definitely put the V in versatile. Type: native plants, shrubs Notable Traits: ... low-maintenance, midwest native, tolerates clay soil, wildlife food source Hardiness: Zone 5 – 9 Mature Height: 4-6ft Light: Virginia sweetspire is a deciduous shrub with arching stems and alternate simple leaves that are oval in shape and dark green in color. Itea virginica, the Virginia willow, or Virginia sweetspire is small North American flowering shrub of low woods and wetland margins. Noteworthy Characteristics. Deciduous shrub, also known as Virginia Willow, with slender, arching, brown to gray branches and smooth, scaly bark. PDF link: XF60 32448 JM #109 B_ARBO Virginia Sweetspire.pdf. In the right conditions, it can spread and fill in quickly via suckering roots, making it good f… They naturalize well and are sure to provide an elegant … Virginia Sweetspire is a native deciduous to a semi-evergreen shrub that is found in the southeast USA on streambanks and wet pine barrens. Wet, acidic soils; wooded stream banks; swamps; and low pine barrens. Also called Itea. Itea virginica, commonly called Virginia sweetspire, is an erect, rounded, broad-spreading, deciduous shrub with arching branches.Typically grows 3-4' (less frequently to 5') tall with a similar spread. Plant database entry for Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica Little Henry®) with 25 images, 2 comments, and 36 data details. Shrub with slender upright branches that eventually arch over; usually wider than tall. Whether you hunt, fish, boat, camp, or take in the wildlife from your easy chair, Virginia Wildlife offers you stories and insight on the natural world, supplied by the state’s leading wildlife and outdoor experts. Virginia Wildlife is your ticket to learning more about Virginia’s spectacular wildlife, fisheries, and breathtaking habitats. Virginia sweetspire is an upright or mounded, thickly branched, deciduous shrub with gracefully arching branches. The native blueberry bush is frequented by birds such as bluebirds, flickers, orioles and thrushes who eat the fruit. Shenandoah switchgrass provides shelter to many small butterflies and the rich, deep red color in fall is enhanced by feathery flower plumes on this native plant. It can be found in Zones 5 to 9 from New Jersey to Florida on the Atlantic coast and west, through Source Large Mammals Small Mammals Water Birds Terrestrial Birds; Description of Values. Description Best known for its profusion of white blooms in early summer, this foundation shrub also features a very nice red leaf color in the fall. PO Box 1583, Merrifield VA 22116-1583 1-800-822-9919 Features fragrant, tiny white flowers borne in cylindrical, drooping racemes (3-6" long) which cover the shrub with bloom in late spring to early summer. Itea virginica, commonly called Virginia sweetspire, is an erect, rounded, broad-spreading, deciduous shrub with arching branches.Typically grows 3-4' (less frequently to 5') tall with a similar spread. It’s free and you’ll get great wildlife gardening tips and learn how to certify your garden as an official habitat. Itea virginica. The flower nectar attracts butterflies and other pollinating insects, its seeds provide food for birds, and the dense mass of leaves offer cover for wildlife. Plants spread readily by suckering, especially in moist sites. More Taxa Info; Guides; Places; Site Stats; Help; Video Tutorials; Log In or Sign Up Photographic Location: A garden at the Arboretum of the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois. Get expert gardening tips on the Virginia Sweetspire. Bees love them! But even though winged burning bush is widely used in home landscapes, it is not native to North America and is considered an invasive exotic species from New England and the upper Midwest south to Florida and the Gulf Coast. Title: ARBO Virginia Sweetspire Very fragrant clusters of drooping creamy white flowers May-June. The form is typically arching and spreading. Virginia Sweetspire tolerate sun and shade and are adaptable to a variety of soil including wet and clay. More Accounts and Images; Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITEA) Wildlife. It does quite well in a rain garden. Itea has high wildlife value, as it provides food for many types of pollinators, as well as creating protection for birds … Learn more about Monrovia plants and best practices for best possible plant performance. Where to find Virginia Sweetspire on the Louisiana State Arboretum Trails: Refer to our Live Map to locate this species and its interpretative signage on the trail system. Itea virginicaVirginia Sweetspire quantity Add to cart SKU: itea-virginica-virginia-sweetspire Category: Trees / Shrubs / Vine Tags: bee attracting , bird attracting , butterfly attracting , sun Birds love the cover provided by the blue-green leaves that turn yellow,orange and deep red in fall. Mass plantings are usually more attractive than individual plants. Another multi-stemmed, densely-branched shrub has begun to bloom on the Coastal Plain. How much sun, shade, water and care does it need? ... WILDLIFE VALUE LOW WET 12.0 . Henry's Garnet Virginia Sweetspire, Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet', is an ornamental shrub with wonderfully fragrant blooms. Benefits with a layer of organic mulch to moderate soil temperature and conserve moisture. Monrovia's Henry's Garnet Sweetspire details and information. Expand. Where to find Virginia Sweetspire on the Louisiana State Arboretum Trails: WET - Wetland Trail 12.0. This plant has some cultivated varieties.Go to list of cultivars. Virginia Sweetspire White spring flower clusters; Dark green leaves turn deep red in fall; Slender, arching branches; Height: 36-60 Inches Spread: 48-72 Inches Hardiness Zone: 5 - 9 Characteristics & Attributes. Native to the woodlands of eastern North America, it is a good choice for woodland borders. a deciduous to semievergreen shrub; generally 3' to 6' tall in the landscape; multistemmed, suckering and colonizing plant; Oval, dark green leaves (1-4" long) turn an attractive garnet red in autumn, sometimes persisting on the shrub until December. Virginia spiraea Spiraea virginiana. In spring, butterflies are attracted to starburst shaped flowers that emerge before leaves on the native witchalder bush. Virginia sweetspire Sweetspire is a southeastern native that grows in moist, wet areas, as well as upland sites. Become a Wildlife Gardener with National Wildlife Federation. Photo by Charlotte Albers. Itea virginica has small flowers on pendulous racemes. Its leaves are … This Bill Saves Wildlife in Crisis. Virginia Sweetspire [tea virginica The Currant Family (Grossulariaceae) Basic Description: Deciduous shrub, also known as Virginia Willow, with slender, arching, brown to gray branches and smooth, scaly bark. Turtles also enjoy the berries and butterflies use the blueberry bush as a host plant. Virginia Sweetspire By Pat Dickey, Fairfax Master Gardeners Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) is a versatile native shrub that has had more popularity recently. Wildlife value: Tree dimensions: Leaf length: 1.00-3.50 inches Tree height: 3.00-10.00 feet. Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow Saxifragaceae. 15, 1990 The Virginia spiraea is found in the Appalachian Plateaus or the southern Blue Ridge Mountains in Alabama, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Georgia. Features fragrant, tiny white flowers borne in cylindrical, drooping racemes (3-6" long) which cover the shrub with bloom in late spring to early summer. Taxon: Plant Range: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia Status: Listed as threatened on Jun. Sweetspire usually grows three to five feet tall, although it may be taller and leggier in moist or shaded areas. National Wildlife Federation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Photo by Le Jardinet. Can grow in higher pH soils but chlorsis may be a problem. Grows in full sun to part shade. Water in dry periods. Choose a basic slow release fertilizer. Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Dec 21, 2017 8:43 PM. Fertilize in early spring and when planting if your soil is lacking. Urge Congress to Support It. Virginia Sweetspire Itea virginica Escallonia family (Escalloniaceae) ... it provides nesting habitat for birds and protective cover for both birds and other kinds of wildlife. It is found in most areas of NC. Plant one for a gorgeous foundation plant in your front yard, or use several in your side yard. Dark green leaves turn scarlet and crimson in […] Appearing on the tips of the arching branches in late spring, the small, creamy white, fragrant flowers are arranged on a 4” drooping spire, similar to a slender bottlebrush. If your soil is nutrient rich your Sweetspire will not require fertilizer. In the urban landscape, this mid-sized shrub grows 3 to 5 feet tall and has a spreading growth habit. Found growing in wet woodlands and along stream banks. The shrub has a rounded habit and produces cylindrical drooping flowers (racemes) from late spring to mid-summer. In early summer, small, … In early summer it produces cascading, white racemes of lightly fragrant blooms, its fall foliage is outstanding and, where winters are mild, it is semi-evergreen. Food. Butterflies, bees and wasps attracted to flower nectar. Value Class Food Cover; High: Average 25-50% of diet: Regular source of cover: Low: 5-10% of diet: Infrequently used as cover: Minor: 2-5% of diet: Sparsely used as cover: Moderate: Average 10-25% of diet: Occasional source of cover I planted several in my yard and had one I could see through my front door sidelight that was dazzling every October. Our beloved wildlife ambassador has been creating lifelong connections with nature for generations. Small capsules on a fruiting stalk are green, brown when mature, not showy, but winter persistent and a distinguishing identification feature. The Itea ilicifolia flowers droop like tails from fireworks, but the Virginia sweetspire racemes are more erect. Plants have a denser, more attractive habit when grown in sunnier sites. It can grow up to 8 feet tall and has graceful arching branches. Burning bush is a real threat to natural areas as it shades out native herbs and crowds out our native shrubs, many of which offer important habitat for birds and other wildlife. Virginia sweetspire Legal Status. VIRGINIA SWEETSPIRE IN BLOOM. I used to relish the brilliant red rush of color that burning bush provides in the fall. Prune after flowering. Virginia Sweetspire is a great shrub for the woodland or wildlife garden. About 2005 I went to a native plant nursery in southeast Pennsylvania and bought a potted straight species of the Virginia Sweetspire, not a cultivar. Maintain good soil moisture for best growth. Virginia sweetspire. southern United States, as far North as New Jersey ; zone 6, probably 5 as well ; Habit and Form. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use, The Elwha: A Roadmap for River Restoration Across the Northwest…, Five Actionable Ways Municipalities Can Support Black, Latinx and Indigenous…, Bipartisan Defense Bill Begins to Address Toxic PFAS Chemicals, Energy Efficiency: A Win for Wildlife, Your Wallet, and Public…, Three Cheers for 50 Years: Celebrating the EPA’s Dedication to…, Education Newsletter December/January 2021, Fish Eggs to Fry Zooms into Virtual Classrooms, Proposed EPA Ballast Rules Too Weak to Protect Great Lakes…, 10 Nutty Facts to Make You Appreciate Squirrels, Reindeer: 12 Fascinating Facts About These Amazing Creatures. Landscape Shrubs Sweetspire, Virginia Sweetspire (itea virginica) Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) will give you a big bang for your buck—it offers multiple seasons of interest, it’s easy to grow, and it has no major pest or disease problems.Starting in early May, showy white … Best in moist, organic-rich, acidic soil. Wetland ... Related Links. Habitat. It provides nesting and shelter for wildlife as well as food for bees, butterflies and moths. Photo by Tammy Schmitt. 2014-2020 Friends of the Louisiana State Arboretum |, XF60 32448 JM #109 B_ARBO Virginia Sweetspire.pdf. So don’t plant a burning bush if you crave a beautiful crimson-red stunner in your fall landscape. Little Henry(r) Virginia Sweetspire January 1, 1970. Noteworthy Characteristics. Leaves on the Virginia sweetspire turn red to purple in fall and can last well into the winter on this native shrub. Photo by Sam Bahr, UMD Botanical Garden. Morphology: This deciduous shrub grows 3’-4’ tall and 4’-6’ across. Sweetspire can be grown in a large variety of conditions due to its tolerance for shade, erosion, clay, and damp soil. 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