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.[2]Itea virginica has small flowers on pendulous racemes.[3]
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.
Itea virginica is a deciduousshrub 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 −15 °C (5 °F).[4]
ConservationEdit
Itea virginica is listed as "apparently secure" overall by NatureServe.[1] However, it is considered to be critically imperiled in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Oklahoma.[1]
TaxonomyEdit
Itea virginica belongs to the Iteaceae, a family of deciduous and evergreen shrubs.[5] 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.[6]
HorticultureEdit
In cultivation in the UK the cultivar ‘Henry’s Garnet’ has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[7][8]Itea virginica is used as a native ornamental landscape plant in North America, and numerous cultivars have been named.[9] The flowers attract pollinators, and the shrub can be used for erosion control.[10]
ReferencesEdit
^ abcNatureServe (7 April 2023). "Itea virginica". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
^Brickell, Christopher, ed. (2008). The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 582. ISBN9781405332965.
^"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. ISBN0-8078-1087-8. OCLC 355003.
itea, virginica, commonly, known, virginia, willow, virginia, sweetspire, small, north, american, flowering, shrub, that, grows, lying, woods, wetland, margins, virginia, willow, member, iteaceae, family, native, southeast, united, states, small, flowers, pend. 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 2 Itea virginica has small flowers on pendulous racemes 3 Itea virginicaFlowering branchConservation statusApparently Secure NatureServe 1 Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsOrder SaxifragalesFamily IteaceaeGenus IteaSpecies I virginicaBinomial nameItea virginicaL 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 Contents 1 Description 2 Conservation 3 Taxonomy 4 Horticulture 5 References 6 External linksDescription EditItea 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 15 C 5 F 4 Conservation EditItea virginica is listed as apparently secure overall by NatureServe 1 However it is considered to be critically imperiled in Pennsylvania Indiana and Oklahoma 1 Taxonomy EditItea virginica belongs to the Iteaceae a family of deciduous and evergreen shrubs 5 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 6 Horticulture EditIn cultivation in the UK the cultivar Henry s Garnet has gained the Royal Horticultural Society s Award of Garden Merit 7 8 Itea virginica is used as a native ornamental landscape plant in North America and numerous cultivars have been named 9 The flowers attract pollinators and the shrub can be used for erosion control 10 References Edit a b c NatureServe 7 April 2023 Itea virginica NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer Arlington Virginia NatureServe Retrieved 13 April 2023 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 amp Garden Information Center Clemson University December 17 2019 Retrieved 2020 12 06 Home amp Garden Information Center hgic clemson edu Clemson University Retrieved 2020 12 03 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Itea virginica Proven Winners 1 nbsp This Saxifragales related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Itea virginica amp oldid 1149640813, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
