Itea virginica
| Itea virginica | |
|---|---|
| |
| Flowering branch | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Iteaceae |
| Genus: | Itea |
| Species: | I. virginica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Itea virginica | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Itea virginica, commonly known as Virginia willow or Virginia sweetspire, is a small North American flowering shrub that grows in low-lying woods and wetland margins. Virginia willow is a member of the Iteaceae family, and native to the southeast United States.[3] Itea virginica has small flowers on pendulous racemes.[4]
Depending on location, the species will bloom in late spring to early summer. It prefers moist rich soil, but it can tolerate a wide range of soil types. When Virginia willow is used in horticulture it can form large colonies and may form dense root suckers, making the shrub hard to remove.
Description
[edit]Itea virginica is a deciduous shrub that grows to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) tall and 1.5 m (4.9 ft) broad, with alternate, simple leaves on arching stems. The flowers are white or cream, borne in downward pointing slightly curved spikes, in summer. It is a multi-stemmed, suckering and colonizing plant, with the stems branching infrequently except at the tops. In favorable conditions it may become semi-evergreen. The leaves turn shades of red in fall (autumn). It is hardy down to at least −29 °C (−20 °F).[5]
Conservation
[edit]Itea virginica is listed as "apparently secure" overall by NatureServe, and critically imperiled in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Oklahoma.[1]
Taxonomy
[edit]Itea virginica belongs to the Iteaceae, a family of deciduous and evergreen shrubs.[6] It is the only species in its genus in North America; most Itea species are from east Asia. Some authors have historically placed Virginia sweetspire in the Grossulariaceae or Saxifragaceae families.[7]
Horticulture
[edit]In cultivation in the UK the cultivar 'Henry's Garnet' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[8][9] Itea virginica is used as a native ornamental landscape plant in North America, and numerous cultivars have been named.[10] The flowers attract pollinators, and the shrub can be used for erosion control.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b NatureServe. "Itea virginica". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
- ^ "Itea virginica L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Home | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox". plants.ces.ncsu.edu. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
- ^ "Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet' - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
- ^ Brickell, Christopher, ed. (2008). The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 582. ISBN 9781405332965.
- ^ "Plants Profile for Itea virginica (Virginia sweetspire)". plants.usda.gov. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
- ^ Radford, Albert E. (1968). Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas. Ahles, Harry E., Bell, C. Ritchie. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-1087-8. OCLC 355003.
- ^ "RHS Plantfinder - Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet'". Retrieved 13 March 2018.
- ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 56. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ "Virginia Sweetspire". Home & Garden Information Center. Clemson University. December 17, 2019. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
- ^ "Home & Garden Information Center". hgic.clemson.edu. Clemson University. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
External links
[edit]
- Proven Winners [1]