Virginia sweetspire

Plant Type

Shrub (less than 10 ft)

Life Cycle

Perennial

Typical Size

4-8 ft. tall
3-6 ft. wide

Tolerant of

Deer, Occasional Flooding

Inolerant of

Dry Soil

Propagation

By seed, By cutting

Plant Propagation Notes

Semi-hardwood cuttings taken in late summer or early fall. Sow seeds thinly in flats; no pretreatment required.

Plant Planting Notes

The species is difficult to source. The cultivar ‘Henry’s Garnet’, which is a compact variety, is the most commonly sold.

Plants/Diseases

Resistant to Phytophthora root rot.

Wildlife Benefits

Nectar/pollen source for pollinating insects, Fruit/seeds for birds

Leaves

Leaf blade elliptic to oblong with serrate or minutely denticulate margins. Alternate.

Flowers

The small, less than 1 inch white flowers are arranged on a raceme. Fragrant.

Fruit

Woody, cylindric, and pubescent capsules

Bark

Stems are erect or arching, smooth or sparsely hairy. Bark is red/burgundy with crescent or C-shaped leaf scars.

Toxicity

No known toxicity.

USDA Hardiness Zones

5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Light Exposure

Part Sun/Shade

Soil Moisture

Moist

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Native in South Carolina?

Yes

Plant Native Habitat

Swamps, wet woods, stream banks, streamheads, beaver ponds.

Global Conservation Status (NatureServe)

Apparently Secure (G4)

Federal Conservation Status (USFWS)

Not Listed

Distribution Notes

Common in the SC Coastal Plain and Piedmont and uncommon in the Mountains