North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Itea virginica

Itea virginica L.

virginia sweetspire, sweetspire, tassel-white, virginia-willow

Cultivar(s): Beppu, Henry's Garnet, Merlot, Saturnalia, Sprich

Image ID: 7678
Image by: Parkins, Grant Morrow
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: ITVI
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Itea virginica
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2018-11-09

CULTIVAR INDEX

Cult_id	Cultivar_name	Action
581	Beppu	View
58	Henry's Garnet	View
583	Merlot	View
584	Saturnalia	View
585	Sprich	View

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: ITEA
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Itea
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Sweetspire
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 27 species, shrubs and trees, all but 2 (ours and 1 in sub-Saharan Africa) are in e. and se. Asia. The closest relative of our species is I. japonica Oliver, of Japan. Variously treated in a very broadly-conceived Saxifragaceae (RAB, F, G, GW, W), a less comprehensive Grossulariaceae (C, K), a narrow Escalloniaceae, or a very narrow (single genus) Iteaceae (S), the relationships of Itea remain problematic. Recent molecular data suggest that the relationship between Itea and other woody saxifragaceous genera (including Escallonia) is only distant (Morgan & Soltis 1993). Itea is here conservatively treated in a narrow Iteaceae.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION: Identification notes: Sometimes confused needlessly with Clethra, whose much more coarsely serrate, obovate leaves contrast with the serrulate, elliptic leaves of Itea. Also often confused with Eubotrys racemosus in vegetative condition.
GENUS REFERENCES: Morin in FNA (2009); Spongberg (1972); Morgan & Soltis (1993); Bohm et al. (1999); Kubitzki in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: ITEACE
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Iteaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: J. Agardh 1858
FAMILY COMMON: Sweetspire Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of 1 genus and about 27 species, shrubs, of e. and se. Asia (about 25 species), e. North America (1 species), and sub-Saharan Africa (1 species).
FAMILY REFERENCE: Kubitzki in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007).

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO:
STEMS:
LEAVES:
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS:
FRUITS:
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 3-4 ft.; width 3-4 ft.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Shrub

LEAF ARRANGEMENT:
LEAF COMPLEXITY:
LEAF RETENTION: Deciduous

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: May-June

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
			x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR: Fragrant/White Flowers

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Moist forests
NATIVE RANGE: eastern United States

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: Virginia sweetspire is a southeastern native shrub valued for its beautiful bloom. Pendant spikes of white, sweetly scented flowers appear in May. They are a good source of nectar for butterflies and pollinators. In the fall, leaves turn red to purple in fall and last well into the winter. In the wild, Virginia sweetspire often grows in wetter areas and on stream banks. It also thrives in average garden soil. Bloom and leaf color are best in full sun.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 5
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 9
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly, Butterfly Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
146	2010-0061	2010-11-29	147	View
175	2007-0410	2019-07-03	176	View
895	1985-0575			View
1206	1986-0127			View
1955	1986-1743			View
2196	1986-2009			View
2943	1988-0015			View
3054	1989-0002			View
3821	1991-0516			View
3868	1992-0011			View
6142	1995-1273			View
6684	1996-0335			View
6963	1998-0172			View
6964	1998-0173			View
8069	2004-0077	2004-09-09		View
8195	2004-0212	2006-05-19		View
8444	2005-0518	2005-12-20		View
8650	2006-0255	2006-09-21		View
8654	2006-0259	2006-09-21		View
8874	2011-0097	2011-05-04	1884	View
8878	2011-0291	2020-04-02	1888	View
8879	2011-0292	2020-04-02	1889	View

GRIM COLLECTIONS

Coll_id	Project	Collection date	Collector	Action
147	HORT	2005-01-01	Morris	View
176	HORT	2007-12-31	Stern	View
534	SOS	2015-10-08	Heraty	View
1440	HORT	2006-11-06	Bryan	View
1884	HORT	2011-03-11	Tomberlin	View
1888	HORT	2011-01-01	Gocke	View
1889	HORT	2011-01-01	Gocke	View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
286	146	14	NCBG staff	2011-03-09	View
351	175	170	Stern	2007-12-31	View
983	8874	36	Randall	2011-04-19	View
984	8874	37	Randall	2011-04-19	View
988	8878	101	Mixon	2011-02-01	View
989	8878	30	Mixon	2011-03-10	View
990	8879	30	Liloia	2011-03-10	View
991	8879	38	Liloia	2011-04-20	View
1663	895	164	NCBG staff	1980-05-05	View
2087	1206	9	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
3119	1955	6	NCBG staff	1986-12-22	View
3799	2196	56	NCBG staff	1986-12-23	View
4857	2943	164	NCBG staff	1988-11-21	View
4858	2943	198	NCBG staff	1988-11-21	View
4859	2943	198	NCBG staff	1988-11-21	View
5076	3054	164	NCBG staff	1989-06-01	View
6130	3821	199	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
6178	3868	132	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
6179	3868	81	Liloia	2003-07-30	View
8797	6142	2	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
9445	6684	114	NCBG staff	1967-12-01	View
9828	6963	160	NCBG staff	1998-04-22	View
9829	6964	166	NCBG staff	1998-04-22	View
9830	6964	157	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
11341	8069	27	NCBG staff	2003-11-03	View
11460	8195	81	NCBG staff	2003-07-30	View
11868	8650	153	NCBG staff	2006-10-01	View
11872	8654	153	NCBG staff	2006-10-01	View
12222	8444	101	Liloia	2011-02-24	View
12242	8879	32	Liloia	2012-11-07	View
12243	8879	42	Liloia	2012-04-25	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: ITVI
USDA Common Name: Virginia Sweetspire
Native Status: L48 (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Shrub

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACW				OBL	OBL		OBL	OBL

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Itea virginica
COMMON NAME: Virginia-willow, Sweetspire, Tassel-white
SYNONYMY: [= C, F, FNA, K, G, GW, Mo, Pa, RAB, S, Va, W, WH3]
PHENOLOGY: May-Jun.
HABITAT: Moist forests and thickets, especially along the banks of small streams.
COMMENTS: S. NJ south to s. FL and west to e. TX and OK, north in the interior (especially in the Mississippi Embayment) to s. IL and se. MO.
RANGE MAP: Itea virginica.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Iteaceae J. Agardh 1858 (Sweetspire Family)
SUMMARY: A family of 1 genus and about 27 species, shrubs, of e. and se. Asia (about 25 species), e. North America (1 species), and sub-Saharan Africa (1 species).
REFERENCE: Kubitzki in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007).

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Itea L. (Sweetspire)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 27 species, shrubs and trees, all but 2 (ours and 1 in sub-Saharan Africa) are in e. and se. Asia. The closest relative of our species is I. japonica Oliver, of Japan. Variously treated in a very broadly-conceived Saxifragaceae (RAB, F, G, GW, W), a less comprehensive Grossulariaceae (C, K), a narrow Escalloniaceae, or a very narrow (single genus) Iteaceae (S), the relationships of Itea remain problematic. Recent molecular data suggest that the relationship between Itea and other woody saxifragaceous genera (including Escallonia) is only distant (Morgan & Soltis 1993). Itea is here conservatively treated in a narrow Iteaceae.
REFERENCE: Morin in FNA (2009); Spongberg (1972); Morgan & Soltis (1993); Bohm et al. (1999); Kubitzki in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Itea virginica in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Itea virginica in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Itea virginica in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Itea virginica in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Itea virginica in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Itea virginica

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 7678 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 7678 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 17872 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 23507 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)