Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’ | Virginia Sweetspire ‘Henry’s Garnet’

‘Henry’s Garnet’, or Virginia Sweetspire, is a cultivar of Itea virginica. It is an attractive, deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with showy fragrant flowers and good fall leaf color, showing the fall colors up to the beginning of winter. This plant can be used in many places in the garden including around a pond since it does not mind wet soil as long as the soil is well-drained. ‘Henry’s Garnet’ prefers full sun to partial shade, but it can also grow in shade. It does well in moist, slightly acidic humus soils, but tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and pHs. Best flowering occurs with 4 hours of sun per day. It can form dense colonies by root suckering and can be used for erosion control in wet areas or on wet banks. This plant blooms on previous season’s wood, so pruning should be done after flowering.

For more information visit  For more information visit the North Carolina Extension Plant Toolbox and/or Kathy Copley’s Plant Showcase on the Brunswick County Master Gardener Volunteer Association website

Photo courtesy of Johnson Nursery Corp