Itea – A Plant in Need of Rediscovery
It is rare for a low maintenance shrub, capable of providing the garden with close to four seasons of interest to be an uncommon plant in the home landscape. Oddly, this is the fate of Virginia Sweetspire and it was not until the late 1980’s that this plant began to gain limited recognition. Indeed, our native Sweetspire, botanically named Itea virginica, seemingly appears to be a ‘late bloomer’ to the gardening world, yet it was a well admired plant in the 1700’s. It appears to have become lost in the wave of new introductions and is a plant in need of rediscovery!
Bruce Crawford
