Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Itea virginica, 1 by ViburnumValley

ViburnumValley wrote:
So this is what it's come to? Mocking the dead?

I agree with Gloria's sentiments -- poor Little Henry®! On a wee lad that size (exposed to the abusive northern IL climate) no wonder there are frozen dead leaves still hanging on. That is probably a different situation than semi-evergreen-ness described above, or even marcescence. Dead (or frozen before abscission) leaves will often hang on through the winter on all kinds of species. One can often observe this on plants that "flush" new growth too late in the season.

Around the Ohio River valley region, one can find several different clones commonly:

•'Henry's Garnet'
•Little Henry®
and my particular favorite...
•'Merlot'

You can occasionally see 'Saturnalia', 'Sarah Eve', or 'Long Spire' around, but the compact versions with reliably consistent fall color are what growers seem to prefer. I don't think I can recall a plant with foliage persisting, but I'll look around the parks next week.

Here's a Little Henry® dwarf sweetspire (Itea virginica 'Sprich'), which was selected and named at Hummingbird Nursery right up the road from me, in the calmer comfortable climes of KY.