
Light Needs

Mature Height

Mature Spread

Growing Zones
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.
Henry's Garnet Virginia Sweetspire Information
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 - 8 |
Plant Type: Bushes |
Light Exposure: Partial Shade to Partial Sun (3 - 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight) |
Mature Height: 3 - 4 Feet |
Mature Spread: 5 - 6 Feet |
Spacing: 5 - 6 Feet |
Habit: Spreading |
Flower Color(s): White |
Flower Description: |
Bloom Period: Early June |
Foliage Type: Variegated |
Foliage Color(s): Green, Red |
Foliage Description: Reddish-Purple Fall Foliage |
Seasonal Interest: Summer Flowering |
Watering: Average |
Resists: Deer, Disease |
Tolerates: Drought |
Attracts: Butterflies |
Container Role: |
Uses: Wildlife Gardens |
Features: Attracts Pollinators, Foliage Interest, Fragrant, Native to North America |
Brand: |
Common Name: Henrys Garnet Virginia Sweetspire |
Other Name(s): |
Scientific Name: ITEA VIRGINICA `HENRY`S GARNET` |
- SKU:
- 1231001094-pc
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.

Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts

Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts

Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts

Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons

Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons

Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons

We stand behind our plants with industry-leading guarantees to give you peace of mind.
We want your plants to arrive in great condition! If you notice any issues upon delivery, contact us within 3 days.
All bushes, perennials & trees come with an extended 1-year warranty for added confidence. If your plant dies due to a health issue within a year, we’ll make it right.

Pre-ordered plants are scheduled to ship in Spring 2025. We carefully plan our shipping dates based on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone to ensure optimal planting conditions upon arrival. Want it sooner/later? Reach out, and we'll try our best to accommodate.
Estimated ship week for pre-ordered plants will ship based on growing zones as shown below.
Growing Zone | Estimated Ship Week |
---|---|
Zone 10 | March 24th |
Zone 9 | March 31st |
Zone 8 | April 7th |
Zone 7 | April 14th |
Zone 6b | April 21st |
Zone 6a | April 28th |
Zone 5b | May 5th |
Zone 5a | May 12th |
Zone 4 | May 19th |
Zone 3 | May 26th |
Note: These are only estimated ship dates. Plants may ship out later depending on weather & growing conditions of the plant.
Note: Only plants indicated as pre-order will ship as shown above. All other plants and hard goods will ship as normal.
Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.