Virginia Sweetspire- A Great Native Naturalizer
Many times you can find this plant in the garden centers and nurseries as Henry's Garnet Sweetspire (Itea virginica). This native beauty is a great plant to naturalize an area and is hardy for zones 5-9. It is a semi evergreen plant in colder climates and an evergreen in zone 7 and up.
The beautiful fall color makes it a great showstopper in just about any kind of soil even though in full sun it would prefer moist well drained soil. In my woodland area it receives filtered sunlight and the soil is dry. This has not stopped her from spreading out and filling in the area with runners that sometimes extend more than 10 feet. It can easily be contained and it does not choke out other plants as invasive alien species do in a garden. If you need to contain it, the only thing you need to do is slice off the new growth and give it to a friend! As many of us gardeners call it -'shovel pruning'- where you take your shovel and slice through the outside perimeter of the plant cutting off the runners and keeping it in check.
Creating. Inspiring. Gardening without the rules!
check out more about this native woodland beauty and see what she looks like in link below.
The beautiful fall color makes it a great showstopper in just about any kind of soil even though in full sun it would prefer moist well drained soil. In my woodland area it receives filtered sunlight and the soil is dry. This has not stopped her from spreading out and filling in the area with runners that sometimes extend more than 10 feet. It can easily be contained and it does not choke out other plants as invasive alien species do in a garden. If you need to contain it, the only thing you need to do is slice off the new growth and give it to a friend! As many of us gardeners call it -'shovel pruning'- where you take your shovel and slice through the outside perimeter of the plant cutting off the runners and keeping it in check.
Creating. Inspiring. Gardening without the rules!
check out more about this native woodland beauty and see what she looks like in link below.
I have one turning for fall-I wish the camera captured the beautiful burgundy
This is the original and she stands over 5' tall
the drooping branches makes this a graceful plant
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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2 comments
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A great native plant. Thanks for highlighting it.
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