| Botanical name: |
Itea
virginica L. |
| Common
name: |
Virginia sweetspire or Virginia willow
|
| Synonomy: |
n/a
|
| Group: |
Dicot
|
| Family: |
Grossulariaceae |
| Growth
Type: |
Shrub
|
| Duration: |
Perennial
|
| Plant
height: |
3'-6'
|
| Foliage: |
Alternate leaf arrangement; leaves
elliptical to lanceolate with an acute apex, 1.5 to 4" long, and 3/4"
to 1-1/4" wide. Leaf margins very finely serrated (toothed); medium to
dark green leaf color, and leaf surface is glabrous (smooth, without
hairs). Mahogany to orange red fall foliage. Deciduous to
semi-evergreen.
Stems are purple red on the sun-exposed side and green on the opposite
side.
Twigs have green, chambered pith; 3 bundle-scars (monkey- face).
|
| Flower
color: |
white, lightly fragrant.
|
| Flower
size: |
2" to 6" long racemes of small white flowers
|
| Flowering/fruiting time |
Flowers early June to late June;
fruits about September, persisting over the winter.
|
| Habitat: |
Pine barrens swamps, streambanks and
other moist habitats.
|
| Range
in
New Jersey: |
Frequent in Pine Barrens swamps and
locally in West Jersey and the Cape May peninsula. Itea virginica is at its northern
most range in New Jersey.
|
| Heritage ranking if any: |
n/a
|
| Distribution |
|
| Misc.: |
USDA
lists as an obligate wetland plant; occurs almost always (estimated
probability 99%) under natural conditions in wetlands.
May be confused with Clethra
alnifolia (Sweet pepperbush).
Used in landscaping; flowers attracts butterflies; seeds eaten by
birds. Several cultivars exist.
Itea, Greek
for willow, and virginica, of
Virginia. |
