Henry's Garnet Virginia Sweetspire

Light Needs

Partial Shade

(3 - 4 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3-4 Feet

Mature Spread

5-6 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 8

Henry's Garnet Virginia Sweetspire, or Itea virginica Henry's Garnet, is a compact deciduous variety, with fragrant, ivory, summer flowers that bloom in 6-inch long, catkin-like clusters. With a height of 3 to 4 feet, this Sweetspire has narrow, dark green leaves that transform to vivacious purple or cherry red in autumn. This resilient foliage stays nested on the plant well into the winter. It is a condensed showstopper, slightly-spreading from 5 to 6 feet.  

Native to the eastern United States, Henry's Garnet Virginia Sweetspire is one of the American Beauties Native Plants®. The root word for this Sweetspire is “Itea”, which is Greek for “willow”, and is a nod to the plant's graceful racemes of delicate flowers. It is known to attract litanies of butterflies. They are deer and pest resistant, and after they are established, are very drought tolerant. 

Henry's Garnet Virginia Sweetspire Care

Henry's Garnet Virginia Sweetspire can tolerate many different types of soils ranging from moist to dry, to alkaline to slightly-acidic. It prefers partial sun to dappled shade and requires little to no pruning. Sweetspire grows by spreading suckers from its large, well-adapted patches.

Henry's Garnet Virginia Sweetspire Spacing

Henry's Garnet Virginia Sweetspire is perfect for grouping or as a single specimen. They are perfect for woodland gardens, and great for erosion control on hillsides or alongside streams. You can plant your Sweetspire in a hedge or border, as well as in a container. They can thrive even in very wet areas, and look lovely paired with potentilla and syringa. They should be spaced 4 to 6 inches apart at planting.