Once spring comes, you can rake it away. Keep soil moist to wet. Has few insect or disease problems, with the exception of spider mites, which are more common when plants are stressed by hot, dry conditions. Grow taller varieties as hedges or privacy screens or as a backdrop in a perennial garden. Looking forward to hopefully having blooms next year. They were both planted on a small slope, with sun until early afternoon, and have been absolutely great the entire time. More about the newsletter. An area with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal. Eventually, the leaves turn yellow and die. Dig a hole that is at least twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Sign up for a free trial and get access to ALL our regional content, plus the rest I've seen some new growth in the month or so since planted. Vanessa Richins Myers has a BS in horticulture and over 10 years of training and experience as a professional horticulturist and gardener. Sweetspires are supposedly versatile and not picky about soil, but I see them doing best in damp soil that's well drained, rich in organic matter, and sited in morning sun and afternoon shade. I have both Itea 'Little Henry' and Clethra 'Ruby Spice'. Feed these plants each spring with a balanced granular fertilizer mixed into the soil. In the northern part of the hardiness range, winter cold may cause dieback of the branch tips. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BUSH TO ANYONE That likes a good fragrance and very pretty. About the bees, well anything with flowers will have bees temporarily. When planted right and in the right spot, Clethra, also called summersweet or sweet pepperbush, are very easy to grow. This plant is best grown in full sun, part shade or full shade in average, medium to wet, slightly acid, well-drained soils. I admire it daily as I walk past it and it feels like it is different every day. Open them up and remove the seeds. Native from southern New Jersey down to Florida, it is winter hardy to Zone 5 . This Sugartina has fragrant white flowers that appear by mid-summer. Not fussy about soil pH. NC State Extension Service Plant Finder. Prune if needed in late winter. As colorful as burning bush, but native to North America and pollinator friendly! Here are ideas for taking advantage of its many attributes: RELATED: Available in better garden centers in spring 2019. Sugartina 'Crystalina' Summersweet | Plant Addicts It prefers a slightly acidic pH but grows well in a range of soils. The runners arent extremely aggressive. Summersweet is 3 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 8 feet wide at maturity. We use cookies on this website, you can read about them here. In fall, the leaves turn an attractive yellow. It works well in a naturalized landscape or garden. Summersweet is hard to transplant and slow to recover from transplanting. They will tolerate short periods of drought but perform best when they receive regular water. That'll take the majority of scale insects and eggs along with it. This is a good plant for woodland gardens or at the front of the mixed border. I can grab any that pop up a foot or so away and pull them up back toward the base and clip off. They bloomed in 2019 no fragrance detected. When the root system is well-established and trying to fight its way out of the container, it's time to plant it in the landscape. Its natural environment includes wet and swampy areas of woodland as well as marshes and river banks. The Latin name for summersweet is Clethra alnifolia. I want to be able to see over the plants if I want to sit out on my patio. Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Plant this shrub in humusy, well-drained soil that is somewhat on the moist side. Here is a link that might be useful: Little Henry in fall Iris GW 16 years ago bogie 16 years ago erictammy Original Author 16 years ago Wow, So much info. As low as $29.99 . . Get daily tips & tricks to help make your best home, How to Grow and Care for Japanese Barberry, How to Grow and Care for Mexican Bush Sage, How to Grow and Care for Kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium), How to Grow and Care for Chinese Snowball Viburnum, How to Grow and Care for Rockspray Cotoneaster, Summersweet, sweet pepperbush, clethra, coastal sweet pepperbush, poor man's soap. However, I did not get any blooms this year. No serious insect or disease problems. Was delivered healthy and packaged very well. Houzz utilise des cookies et d'autres technologies de suivi similaires pour personnaliser mon exprience utilisateur, me proposer du contenu pertinent et amliorer ses produits et services. A compact cultivar bearing large clusters of clove-scented white flowers that are irresistible to bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. My understanding is both summersweet and virginia sweetspire would be good potential candidates for this location, but was wondering if one would be better suited (i.e. Full sun exposure will produce more vibrant fall color. Virginia sweetspire grows quite well in very hot conditions, provided it gets plenty of water. Itea is one of the most shade tolerant flowering shrubs and thrives even in wet soils, making it an excellent problem solver. To create an idea board, sign in or create an account. Itea is one of the few shrubs that will still flower reasonably well even in shade. It is a rounded, suckering, densely-branched, deciduous shrub that typically grows to 3-6 (less frequently to 8) tall and is noted for producing a mid to late summer bloom of sweetly fragrant white flowers which appear in narrow, upright panicles (racemes to 2-6" long). It enjoys, Promptly remove root suckers unless a naturalized look is desired. We'll see how the plants perform Spring and Summer before making a final decision on the plants. Little Henry - Sweetspire - Itea virginica | Proven Winners May be pruned after blooming if required. Best Flowering Shrubs for Season-Long Color, The Best Deer Resistant Plants for Your Garden, Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, Dark brown seed pods (similar in appearance to peppercorns) provide winter interest. Use clean garden shears to cut 3- to 4-inch cuttings, taken in the morning, from well-established healthy plants. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas. Right now - the deer are enjoying browsing the plants every evening so I take it that they didn't read the plant description. It is a tough, dependable plant with three-season interest, especially in shady, wet sites. Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant. Bed. A versatile shrub for shrub borders, open woodland gardens, foundations . I have a grouping of Little Henry Sweetspire right near my patio and love it. Then use a good potting medium and seed trays to germinate the plants indoors. Summersweet is a versatile shrub that thrives in most climates and is suitable as a specimen plant or a hedge. I planted them in groups of 3 in 3 locations around my home. To create additional collections, you must be a paid member of our site. Plant summersweet in an area that receives full sun to part shade. Also the facts that should be considered when making a choice:-itea could tolerate both, full sun and part-shade, while clethra prefer to be in a more shady locations,-fall foliage of itea is very attractive crimson-burgundy, while clethra's is yellow-bronze,-itea blooms on old wood and could be/should be pruned if necessary right after the bloom, clethra blooms on a new wood and could be/should be pruned in early spring,-itea leafs out early, while clethra stays 'naked' till May. 'Sixteen Candles' sweet pepperbush - FineGardening If you dont want your shrubs to naturalize, simply clip away the suckers from the base of the plant to maintain a more formal appearance. 21 Low-Maintenance Plants. While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. less likely to get leggy, bloom better) than the other. Promptly remove root suckers unless naturalized look is desired. However, it might develop flea beetles or leaf spot. | Letter from the Editor, Watch Out for New Garden Pests Heading This Way, Designing a Beautiful Back BorderPlanting Plan. Use in a mixed border with other spring- and summer-blooming shrubs that like moist soils, such as. The foliage of the Little Henry Sweetspire is stunning. Had beautiful red Is blooming and starting to increase in Bears exceptionally large, pure white flowers almost a foot in length, nearly twice the size of other varieties. Its fragrant, bottlebrush flowers are a darker pink; they attract butterflies, bees, and other insects in late summer and early fall. Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird' (Summersweet) is a gorgeous, compact, slowly spreading, deciduous shrub that features bottlebrush spikes of extremely fragrant white flowers which bloom for 4-6 weeks in mid to late summer. He's planted in a alkaline soil with some shade. They were dormant when I got them. As noted by others it depends on your preferred features. This results in a lack of chlorophyll, which in turn results in leaves that lose their color and fade. Mass or group in lawns, foundations or shrub borders. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Merlot Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica 'Merlot'): Merlot sweetspire is a cultivar (cultivated variety) of Virginia sweetspire which is native to the moist partly-shaded areas of the south-eastern United States. Good flowering shrub for shade or woodland gardens. The fall color on this plant is brilliant. Tolerates clay soils. Common Name: sweet pepperbush Type: Deciduous shrub Family: Clethraceae Zone: 4 to 8 Height: 4.00 to 6.00 feet Spread: 3.00 to 5.00 feet Bloom Time: July to August Bloom Description: Rose pink Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium to wet Maintenance: Low Suggested Use: Hedge, Naturalize, Rain Garden Flower: Showy, Fragrant Leaf: Good Fall Summersweet typically spreads to 4 to 6 feet and forms an oval shape. It is also a delightful addition to the mixed border. The foliage is a nice bright green in summer. The shallow root system is suckering and tends to form clumps. For one thing, they're survivors that'll often keep coming back year after year even though they're suffering disease or bug issues. Sweetspire Itea virginica 'Merlot' is a Sweetspire with fragrant white flowers in June and has the most compact habit of our Iteas, with burgundy fall foliage. I bought 2 Itea quart-size in 2015 when we first moved to our house, located on a windy mountain, zone 6, and on heavy, wet Virginia clay. This compact selection reaches 3 to 5 feet tall. Does anybody grow Moonlight in paris or tamora rose? As summer progresses shiny, disease-free foliage appears until fall when the foliage turns a stunning garnet-red. Use as an underplanting beneath trees or in a woodland garden. And if I battle the scales, how would I go about it? Wandering roots and stems can easily be chopped off and transplanted. This compact selection reaches 3 to 5 feet tall. Because it blooms on old wood (previous year's growth), pruning should be done immediately after blooming so that the plant can develop the wood necessary for next year's blooms. The shrub grows best in partial shade and a moist, slightly acid soil. In the right conditions, it can spread and fill in quickly via suckering roots, making it good for erosion control. I'd improve the soil in the new location with an inch or two of compost worked into the loosened top 10 or 12 inches of existing soil. Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device. The plant belongs to one of only two genera in the Clethraceae (white alder) family, with Purdiaea being the other genus. Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica), a native shrub, provides landscape interest across the seasons. This sturdy native shrub is also remarkably adaptable, tolerating shade, soggy soil, and salty air, making it a valuable addition to woodland settings and coastal gardens. Red and Black Chokeberry. Hummingbird Summersweet - Monrovia What plants are similar to Virginia Sweetspire? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. These shrubs are native to the eastern regions of the United States, where they can be found in woods and thickets, often in swampy areas and along streams. Any ideas?Tammy. Summersweet, or Clethra alnifolia, is a shrub that can tolerate areas of standing water and still thrive. Spring 2020, bloomed nicely but still no scent detected, even up close. It is also an attractive plant in late spring and summer when the long racemes of fragrant white . Though this native plant is much beloved for its sweetly scented summer blooms, not all plants exhibit equally strong fragrance, so it was our primary goal in introducing our next variety. 'Sixteen Candles' sweet pepperbush, or summersweet, is a newer cultivar of a popular native shrub. ), that might be the right one. When the pH of the soil creeps above 7.0, Virginia sweetspire is prone to developing chlorosis. Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica; Zones 5-9) enjoys the same cultural requirements as summersweet and it will do fine in a regular garden setting as long as the soil is relatively moist. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. En cliquant sur Accepter , j'accepte l'utilisation des cookies telle qu'elle est dcrite plus en dtail dans la Politique d'Utilisation des Cookies de Houzz. They will thrive in coastal areas as well because of their resistance to salt spray and brackish water. If your site already is morning sun and afternoon shade, I'd try digging the plants and replanting into improved soil (see above). 2023 Proven Winners North America LLC. How to Grow and Care for Summersweet - The Spruce Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Choose Options. Plant near a patio to enjoy the fragrant late summer bloom. The species is native to the eastern United States. . Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). The flowers aren't just longer, larger, and more fragrant than other varieties - they're also more cold tolerant, assuring a good display even in USDA zone 5 where flower buds are frequently damaged. Fizzy Mizzy Sweetspire As low as $29.99 . Plant in spring after the ground thaws or in early fall before it freezes. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. No problems, no diseases, not fussy at all and both have grown to 3'x3' with plenty of flowers and great Fall color. Keeping a Virginia sweetspire in a container for the first season is entirely possible. Sign up for a free trial and get access to ALL our regional content, plus the rest As noted by others it depends on your preferred features. Pollinators liked them. Get complete site access to expert advice, regional content, and more, plus the print magazine. Sugartina 'Crystalina' summersweet(Clethra alnifolia)Photo by: Proven Winners. Great for grouping and for massing on large banks, in beds, and perennial and shrub borders. I wouldn't give up on your sweetspires, though. So if you'd rather have the fragrant blooms of clethra in the summer (patio season? 2023 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Some people would recommend using a fungicide to combat the leaf disease and horticultural oil or a similar scale-killing insecticide to deal with the bugs. * Required FieldsWe will never sell or distribute your email to any other parties or organizations. Grows up to 2-3 ft. tall and wide (60-90 cm). Summersweet is tolerant of a range of garden conditions including shade . Itea virginica. Consider the hours of sunlight you wish your summersweet to receive during its growing season. Here's what a colony of Virginia sweetspires should look like when not attacked by fungus or bugs. The spires came and went and absolutely no smell at all. Summersweet spreads slowly by suckering roots and will colonize over time. Plant dwarf summersweet cultivars in smaller garden beds to add structural interest and late-summer blooms. The plant tolerates wetness but on poor sites is thin and straggly. They also suggested as an option pulling the plants and starting over again. Little Henry is a useful native plant with lots of potential for the home landscape. Growing Zones: 5-9 Proven Winners. Flowers give way to dark brown seed capsules (1/8" diameter) which may persist into winter. The shrub has a rounded habit and produces cylindrical drooping flowers (racemes) from late spring to mid-summer. Je peux rejeter les cookies non essentiels en cliquant sur Grer mes prfrences . 9. Merlot is named for its fall color which is dark red and persists into winter. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources. The foliage is a nice bright green in summer. 25 Shrubs That Like Wet Soil and Full Sun - Traditional Gardening To use the website as intended please The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. All Rights Reserved. Summer Sparkler Summersweet, Summer Sweet, Einstein Summersweet, Novacleein, or Clethra Alnifolia, is a compact, heavy-blooming, deciduous shrub packed with 12-inch floriferous spires of twisted, fragrant blooms, reminiscent of Albert Einstein's trademark hair. Loaded with fragrant blooms every spring which last into summer - always evoking comments from visitors. Summersweet tolerates clay soil and full shade. 2023 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. This summersweet is a sport of C. alnifolia Pink Spires. Summer Sparkler Summersweet | Plant Addicts Noteworthy Characteristics. Mature stems have scaly, dark gray to brown black bark. ProblemsFungal dieback and root rot can occur. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bees.Genus name comes from the Greek klethra the name for alder of which the leaves resemble.Specific epithet means leaves like alder.Ruby Spice is most noted for its fragrant rose-pink flowers that bloom in late summer. I am adding an iron product to the soil and hope that it improves the health of the plants. The blooms are raceme flowers, 2- to 6-inches long, that may be white, pink, or rose-colored and have a sweet fragrance. Find a Garden Center that carries Proven Winners plants & products. A dwarf summersweet shrub with fragrant white flowers and a dense, rounded shape. Characteristics Plant Type: Shrub Shrub Type: Deciduous Height Category: Short Garden Height: 24 - 36 Inches Spacing: 24 - 36 Inches Spread: 24 - 36 Inches Flower Colors: White Foliage Colors: Green Foliage Shade: Green Habit: Mounded Container Role: Filler Plant Needs Light Requirement: Full Shade Tolerates full shade. Hot climates call for more water. Prefers part shade and consistently moist, acidic, sandy soils. Summersweet typically spreads to 4 to 6 feet and forms an oval shape. This compact Sweetspire starts out the summer with a beautiful display of fragrant white flowers that blanket the shrub. A good choice for smaller gardens and tight spaces. I just planted it this season so I will have to update my review on its performance once it is established. Get plant information, gardening solutions, design inspiration and more in our weekly newsletter. In summer, 'Sixteen Candles' is topped with aromatic, erect, butterfly-enticing white blooms for 4 to 6 weeks. Get the latest how-to and design inspiration articles plus special offers sent straight to your inbox. In spring, after new growth begins to emerge, you can remove any stems that aren't showing signs of life - do not prune until you see signs of new growth. I would re-purchase based on the fall interest alone. We also wanted a smaller variety that works with any size landscape, and outstanding fall color so that the plant stays interesting beyond its bloom time. We sniffed dozens of different sweetspires in pursuit of the most fragrant variety, and we can say with confidence that we've found it in Scentlandia itea. Nice plant for an area you want to be filled in away from the house where deer are not a problem. David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. "Take time to smell the flowers" doesn't have to be just a clich. Here is a link that might be useful: Little Henry in fall. The Best Deer Resistant Plants for Your Garden Houzz Pro: One simple solution for contractors and design pros, Its bottlebrush flowers attract bees and butterflies, while its stunning orange and scarlet foliage draws all who pass by, Personnaliser mon exprience l'aide de cookies, Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists, Tempe Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Redondo Beach Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Saint Louis Park Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Adrian Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures, Bonney Lake Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures, Wildomar Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures, Great Design Plant: Wildlife-Loving Dwarf Fothergilla Blazes in Fall. Water regularly to keep the soil moist, especially during the first growing season. All Rights Reserved. Itea needs little maintenance. Note this is the default cart. I am disappointed in the lack of scent, especially given its name, so for this alone I would rate the shrub as 3 stars. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 'Ruby Spice' summersweet - FineGardening Soils should not be allowed to dry out. Garden Uses: Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), also called summersweet, is a Maryland native plant found in forested wetlands, floodplains, and swamps. Native to the woodlands of eastern North America, it is a good choice for woodland borders. Problems Infrequent Genus : Clethra Zones : 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Plant Height : 3 to 6 feet Plant Width : 3 to 6 feet Bloom Time : Early Fall, Late Summer Characteristics : Fragrant Flowers, Showy Fall Foliage Light : Full Sun to Partial Shade So, I'm only rating this plant as satisfactory. They were beautiful in the fall, changing to shades of red, and held their leaves for a while. Summersweet plants usually grow 4-9ft (1.2-2.7m) tall and about 6ft (1.8m) wide, although they may spread into a mounded clump if allowed to sucker. How to Grow and Care for Virginia Sweetspire - The Spruce Not sure which Clethra to pick?Compare All Clethra, Buy Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird' (Summersweet). Will grow in shade, but flowering and fall color improves when the plant gets at least some sun each day. Any thoughts on these two shrubs? This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, Healthy Soil Is at the Heart of a Thriving Garden, Gardening Gift Ideas for Mothers Day 2023, 6 Fantastic Annuals to Grow From Seed in the Northwest, Lilacs: How to Grow Them and Favorite Varieties, Companion Planting for Successful Southern California Vegetable Gardens, Ready, Set, Spring! The species gets tall and rangy, so it is worth seeking out the cultivar . Prefers moist, acidic, sandy soil but will also tolerate clay soil if its amended with compost to improve drainage. Thanks. In landscape design, they are especially effective massed or grouped in sunny or shady flowering shrub borders, butterfly and hummingbird gardens. Does well in sun or shade, dry or wet soil, all types of soil (normal, clay or sandy) & nice red fall color! Its mounded, compact stature makes it an improvement over older varieties such as the old favorite 'Henry's Garnet'. Place your shrub in the hole, gently spreading out the roots, and then backfill to ground level and water well. This shrub is easy to grow in any average, well-drained soil that has medium to wet moisture levels. I find the fragrance of the Clethra more dramatic but find the fall foliage of 'Little Henry' one of the best fall foliage plants. Remove lower leaves on the cuttings, dip the ends in rooting hormone, and tuck into a mixture of half perlite and half potting soil. Noteworthy CharacteristicsFragrant flowers. Root suckering will be most prevalent with shrubs planted in wet ground. The flowers give way to spikes of dark brown fruits which persist into winter, providing continuing interest. Additional feeding during the growing season is not necessary. It likes humusy soils, so mixing in compost before planting is a good idea. In June and July, sweetspire bears lovely spikes of fragrant, white blossoms. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Slow-growing summersweet's leaves are obovate and serrated, 1 1/2- to 4-inches long, and change from a glossy dark green in summer to yellow or brown in the fall. Deciduous. I've bought 2 more to put a nice arc around my Then watch for a return of the leaf-spotting and scale.
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