This was a big selling point for me and I would have chosen something else for the area of my garden where I was really looking forward to the scent. However, it might develop flea beetles or leaf spot. Prefers moist, acidic, sandy soil but will also tolerate clay soil if its amended with compost to improve drainage. 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. Perfectly suited for covering large banks, beds and borders. 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. Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Once the roots became established, summersweet bush is somewhat drought tolerant, but avoid letting the soil dry out completely. Grow taller varieties as hedges or privacy screens or as a backdrop in a perennial garden. Itea virginica. Prune as needed to maintain the desired shape and remove dead, diseased, and damaged branches. Had beautiful red Hot climates call for more water. Scentlandia sweetspire delivers on all three! Ruby Spice Summersweet shrub is a huge color breakthrough for summersweet shrubs that features rich rose-pink blooms that are a first for flowering Clethra. Find plants you love and create idea boards for all your projects. In fall, the leaves turn an attractive yellow. Summersweet is a versatile shrub that thrives in most climates and is suitable as a specimen plant or a hedge. I'm starting to see some of the red fall color! Here is a link that might be useful: Little Henry in fall. Loaded with fragrant blooms every spring which last into summer - always evoking comments from visitors. Typically grows 3-4' (less frequently to 5') tall with a similar spread. Is blooming and starting to increase in Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. The only common problems that this shrub faces are spider mites. PropagationSow seed at 43 to 54F in spring or autumn. As summer progresses shiny, disease-free foliage appears until fall when the foliage turns a stunning garnet-red. Copyright 2023. Mary has been a Master Gardener for 30+ years and a commercial and residential gardener for 50+ years. Find out where you fall in the USDA Hardiness Zones database. This compact Sweetspire starts out the summer with a beautiful display of fragrant white flowers that blanket the shrub. Nice plant for an area you want to be filled in away from the house where deer are not a problem. The Latin name for summersweet is Clethra alnifolia. Its yellow fall color extends the season of interest. A versatile shrub for shrub borders, open woodland gardens, foundations . Bears exceptionally large, pure white flowers almost a foot in length, nearly twice the size of other varieties. These may survive into winter in some climates. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. Itea virginica, commonly called Virginia sweetspire, is an erect, rounded, broad-spreading, deciduous shrub with arching branches. Sunlight is also a requirement, as these shrubs need full sun as well as slightly acidic soil to achieve the best results. That most likely would work, but if that's what you're going to have to do constantly to maintain a good-looking planting of sweetspires, that's when I'd give up and switch to fothergilla, summersweet, abelia, dwarf oakleaf hydrangea or another alternative. Has few insect or disease problems, with the exception of spider mites, which are more common when plants are stressed by hot, dry conditions. Keep soil moist to wet. Plant near a patio to enjoy the fragrant late summer bloom. Garden Uses: Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), also called summersweet, is a Maryland native plant found in forested wetlands, floodplains, and swamps. I have a grouping of Little Henry Sweetspire right near my patio and love it. Join now and start creating your dream garden! I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BUSH TO ANYONE That likes a good fragrance and very pretty. The flowers give way to spikes of dark brown fruits which persist into winter, providing continuing interest. SUMMERSWEET VARIETIES LANDSCAPING IDEAS BASICS Zones: 4-9 Plant type: Deciduous shrub Native area: Eastern and southern North America Exposure: Full sun to part shade Mature size: Typically 3 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, with the exception of dwarf varieties Growth rate: Slow Bloom time: 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. Ideally, plant these shrubs in a spot that receives morning sun and afternoon shade. It is a bright green in the spring and summer and turns orange and red in the fall. I've read the reviews and was looking forward to seeing the blooms and pollinators. For me, clethra blooms much later (in the summer) than itea (late spring bloomer). Effective in mass, mixed into perennial borders or along foundations. Spider mites may be a concern in dry conditions. I am a huge fan of Proven Winners and own a lot of their shrubs, perennials, and annuals, and they usually do not disappoint. In a partial shade spot, another clethra does not flower nearly as well. Also appropriate for moist soils along stream banks or pond/water garden peripheries. Great for massing on large banks, in beds, and perennial and shrub borders. Warmer climates call for more shade. The showy bottlebrush-like flower clusters, some nearly a foot long, continue for weeks on end, attracting a steady parade of butterflies and bees with their seductive fragrance. The shrub has a rounded habit and produces cylindrical drooping flowers (racemes) from late spring to mid-summer. Make sure there are other plants around, as the plant will look bare until the leaves appear at the end of spring. In the right conditions, it can spread and fill in quickly via suckering roots, making it good for erosion control. Noteworthy CharacteristicsA shorter cultivar selected for its sturdy branching system and large (up to 6 inches), upright, white flowering "candles". Stay ahead of any root-suckering that may occur if you do not wish for the bushes to spread. This shrub is easy to grow in any average, well-drained soil that has medium to wet moisture levels. 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! Consistent moisture in well-draining soil is a must. Not fussy about soil pH. All rights reserved (About Us). It is a tough, dependable plant with three-season interest, especially in shady, wet sites. He's planted in a alkaline soil with some shade. No problems, no diseases, not fussy at all and both have grown to 3'x3' with plenty of flowers and great Fall color. They will thrive in coastal areas as well because of their resistance to salt spray and brackish water. They can be planted immediately, or the following spring. Use in a mixed border with other spring- and summer-blooming shrubs that like moist soils, such as. Native from southern New Jersey down to Florida, it is winter hardy to Zone 5 . Wandering roots and stems can easily be chopped off and transplanted. Water these shrubs quite often when they are young and getting established, then weekly when they mature (one inch per week). I plan to buy at least three more. Suggested Use: Hedge, Naturalize, Rain Garden, Tolerate: Heavy Shade, Erosion, Clay Soil, Wet Soil. Serrate, obovate to oblong, glossy dark green leaves (to 3-4 long) turn variable but generally attractive shades of yellow to golden brown in fall. Gorgeous little plant. 20 Fragrant Flowering Plants Vanessa Richins Myers has a BS in horticulture and over 10 years of training and experience as a professional horticulturist and gardener. The first thing that occurs to me is that your plants are stressed in some way. If you want to give these a go, Id suggest to try to buy when they are in bloom to see if they have a scent. Very disappointed and am hoping for the brilliant fall color it is supposed to have. Chokeberries, also known as Aronia, are multi-stemmed shrubs with white flowers, red or black glossy berries, and great red fall color. Summersweet is 3 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 8 feet wide at maturity. Pollinators liked them. 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. It prefers a slightly acidic pH but grows well in a range of soils. I would re-purchase based on the fall interest alone. 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. In landscape design, they are especially effective massed or grouped in sunny or shady flowering shrub borders, butterfly and hummingbird gardens. Plant this shrub in humusy, well-drained soil that is somewhat on the moist side. This plant can work in a variety of soil pHs, types, and moisture levels. A dependable shrub that is native from coastal Maine south to north Florida and then west to the eastern edge of Texas. The shrub grows best in partial shade and a moist, slightly acid soil. Bury the seed one inch in the soil and keep it moist. As another review said, I purchased this for the fall interest and for the lovely smell that it is supposed to possess. Get daily tips & tricks to help make your best home, How to Grow Virginia Sweetspire From Seed, Potting and Repotting Virginia Sweetspire. I've seen some new growth in the month or so since planted. The blooms are raceme flowers, 2- to 6-inches long, that may be white, pink, or rose-colored and have a sweet fragrance. They bloomed in 2019 no fragrance detected. Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant. 2023 Proven Winners North America LLC. I planted them in groups of 3 in 3 locations around my home. The seed capsules turn brown and persist on the plant in . During the late summer or early fall, collect the small brown seed pods from the plant. Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device. Its branches are dense, making it suitable for hedges or privacy screens (best in summer, of course). It is a lovely shrub and is doing well (I make sure that it gets enough water, especially during this year's drought) except that it has chlorosis. Such dieback in winter means the loss of some of the flower buds that produce blooms in spring. A sharp spade can be used to cut away a section of the root ball around the edge, which can be replanted wherever you want it. Find locations near you that offer Proven Winners products. Was delivered healthy and packaged very well. Choose Options. Sweetspire is an easy-care shrub, about four feet by four feet (1.2 by 1.2 meters) at maturity that isn't fussy about soil or weather conditions. Propagation Take greenwood cuttings in early summer. Densely-branched, rounded, this summer-flowering shrub spreads slowly by suckers and typically grows 2-4 feet tall (60-120 cm) with a spread of 3-5 ft. (90-150 cm). Here's what a colony of Virginia sweetspires should look like when not attacked by fungus or bugs. One of its most attractive characteristics is to produce great blooms in shady locations. Full shade is tolerated. Shady conditions may limit the flower production and mute the autumn color. 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! And I'd also get rid of the surrounding mulch and bring in fresh mulch in case any scale eggs are lurking in last year's mulch. To use the website as intended please Even deer tend to leave it alone. 'Sixteen Candles' is a compact rounded shrub growing slowly to 4-5 feet high and 2-3 feet wide and is suitable for borders, screens or as a specimen plant. Get complete site access to expert advice, regional content, and more, plus the print magazine. Intensely fragrant, star-shaped florets grow into plump, exotic 2-4" wands that appear on a 4-6' bush for many weeks in mid to late summer. Severe cases can kill the plant. Virginia sweetspire is a deciduous shrub with arching stems and alternate simple leaves that are oval in shape and dark green in color. I am disappointed in the lack of scent, especially given its name, so for this alone I would rate the shrub as 3 stars. Sign up for weekly gardening inspiration and design tips. A compact cultivar bearing large clusters of clove-scented white flowers that are irresistible to bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. Mature stems have scaly, dark gray to brown black bark. You know a plant like Sugartina 'Crystalina' Summersweet that has two "sweet" words in its name must smell wonderful. Q: My Virginia sweetspire plants have looked awful by summer's end the last two years. Great for grouping and for massing on large banks, in beds, and perennial and shrub borders. Top reasons to grow Scentlandia sweetspire: - More fragrant than other sweetspire varieties, - Better bud hardiness means better performance in USDA zones 5 and 6, - One of the most shade tolerant flowering shrubs. I planted this spring. Additional feeding during the growing season is not necessary. They're also very good about pushing up new growth from the roots, even when most or all of the top growth is totally whacked back. Definitely loved by the deer and it colonizes out of control. In colder areas, sweetspire may experience a bit of weather damage coming out of winter, so prune any dead wood out after new growth has begun. On this page: Basics | Planting | Care | Summersweet Varieties | Landscaping Ideas, Typically 3 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, with the exception of dwarf varieties, Mid to late summer, with the blooms lasting 4 to 6 weeks, Glossy, dark green, and oval-shaped, with serrated margins. Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) is one garden plant that truly lives up to its name, producing an abundance of sweetly scented flowers during the waning days of summer, when few other shrubs are in bloom. All Rights Reserved. CareLike other summersweets, Sixteen Candles loves wet locations in partial shade but does fine in average garden soil in full sun. Once the roots are in place, you can move it out to the landscape. Create appealing and long-lasting planting judywhite / GardenPhotos.com, Botanik Foto. 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. As low as $29.99 . David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. 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. Summersweet typically spreads to 4 to 6 feet and forms an oval shape. 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. In the northern part of the hardiness range, winter cold may cause dieback of the branch tips. Politique d'Utilisation des Cookies de Houzz. Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant. Water regularly to keep the soil moist, especially during the first growing season. Best all around shrub in my opinion. In fall, the leaves turn an attractive yellow. It will come back strong in the spring. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources. The flowers are notable for their size, how late they bloom, and their ability to bloom even in the shade. To do so: Fill seeding trays or pots with moist potting mixture, and press the seeds in so they are halfway-buried. Root greenwood cuttings in early summer. It is also a delightful addition to the mixed border. Promptly remove root suckers unless naturalized look is desired. Summersweet. I never pruned them at any point. * Required FieldsWe will never sell or distribute your email to any other parties or organizations. This plant is quite hardy and doesn't have any serious pests to contend with. Sixteen Candles sweet pepperbush, or summersweet, is a newer cultivar of a popular native shrub. This shrub flowers on new wood, so pruning for shape is best done in spring. Because clethra bloom on new growth, prune during winter or early spring to avoid removing developing flower buds. Available in better garden centers in spring 2019. Provide moist, humus-rich, slightly acidic, well . She is a former Clemson University Extension Agent. A profusion of fragrant white flower spikes attract butterflies. This results in a lack of chlorophyll, which in turn results in leaves that lose their color and fade. Thanks. There is also at least one dwarf clethra available. Ruby Spice grows to about 4 to 6 feet tall and almost as wide, making this shrub suitable for a bed or border, a woodland or shade garden, or a waterside planting. For a much larger shrub, go with Hollyleaf Sweetspire which can grow up to 12 feet high. NC State Extension Service Plant Finder. Summersweet thrives in moist climates, and tolerates both heat above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and freezing cold winters. For one thing, they're survivors that'll often keep coming back year after year even though they're suffering disease or bug issues. Virginia sweetspire grows quite well in very hot conditions, provided it gets plenty of water. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. In part-shade conditions of less than 6 hours daily, the plant will grow less . Control can be as simple as spraying the leaves (front and back) with water to knock them off, though further intervention with horticultural oils may be needed if mites are persistent. To get your plant off to a good start, work some organic matter into the soil and cover the root zone with a layer of mulch to help keep the soil cool and moist. Here's what a colony of Virginia sweetspires should look like when not attacked by fungus or bugs. Also may be naturalized in cottage gardens, wild gardens or naturalized areas. Be inspired with our Gardener's Idea Book and Winner's Circle newsletter, Little Henry - Sweetspire - Itea virginica. That'll take the majority of scale insects and eggs along with it. In spite of the information that says it is not picky about pH conditions, it needs iron to do well in SE Wisconsin, where we have lime based soil. The Best Deer Resistant Plants for Your Garden Summersweet is a versatile shrub that thrives in most climates and is suitable as a specimen plant or a hedge. PropagationTake greenwood cuttings in early summer. Place your shrub in the hole, gently spreading out the roots, and then backfill to ground level and water well. Although these bushes are considered plants tolerant of wet groundand clay soils, they will nonetheless perform best in well-drained soils. Plant near a patio or other outdoor living space to fully enjoy the sweet-smelling flowers. How to Grow and Care for Doublefile Viburnum Shrubs, How to Grow and Care for Black Lace Elderberry, How to Grow and Care for Emerald Gaiety Wintercreeper. To form solid hedges, space plants a distance equal to their mature width. Summersweet typically spreads to 4 to 6 feet and forms an oval shape. (George Weigel) Q: My Virginia sweetspire plants have looked awful by summer's end the last two. Noteworthy Characteristics. This plant is best grown in full sun, part shade or full shade in average, medium to wet, slightly acid, well-drained soils. Then, fall. The foliage is a nice bright green in summer. Only plants will be removed from the collection. "Take time to smell the flowers" doesn't have to be just a clich. After the bloom, the flowers leave small, dark brown seed capsule fruits that look like peppercorns. BEST SMELL,I have it at my front porch. Accept When the pH of the soil creeps above 7.0, Virginia sweetspire is prone to developing chlorosis.