Itea virginica

That's a 'Summerwine' ninebark behind it, it's the reddish twigged one on the left. So you think it's 'Little Henry'? The bluish plants in the foreground are 'Firewitch' dianthus.

Sorry, we cross-posted VV. Hmmm, I think it is 'Little Henry' now that I see Equil's plant, it looks pert near identical. The leaves on mine never came off, they just froze in place.

This message was edited Mar 17, 2007 7:30 PM

Keep that up, and you'll earn honorary southern citizenship.

As noted, leaves freezing in place is not uncommon and probably should be expected with species from warmer zones "pushed" in plantings farther north. Other examples you might observe include:

•Hydrangea macrophylla
•Buddleia davidii
•Viburnum nudum
•Abelia x grandiflora

*blushing* I was raised in the South, sometimes it shows. LOL

I think I've told this story before, but I'll tell it again just because. I had "Little Henry" for three or four years and it always looked horrendous. Chlorotic and lame, barely any bloom, poor form, all that and more. I tried altering soil pH with sulfur, a little fertilizer and whatnot. I knew the soil to be pretty good, and other things around it were doing great, so I didn't want to get carried away with ideas. Anyway, finally I'd had it with the plant and I cut it down with a metal blade on my weed whacker and planted a Clethra "Fern Vally Pink" in its place.

Lo and behold, the next year the Itea suckered all over the place from its root system and looked great. No chlorotic foliage, better form, it didn't bloom much but I think it probably will this year. I'm beginning to wonder if this should be a recommended treatment for Iteas that aren't doing well. I noticed in a Heritage Seedlings Catalog a recommendation for maximizing growth and performance of Oxydendron that isn't much different.

Scott

Well, at that point you really had nothing to lose, LOL.

Worth doing on plants like Scott's, especially if they originated as container stock: autopsy.

This ought to flush Kevin out of the frozen weeds. He's often harped on this topic.

There are so many rootbound shrubs produced these days. They look just fab when under the excess water/fert of the grower's regimen, and then turn on the unsuspecting gardener like a sullen cur when installed in the landscape. Really poor root systems are often hidden within the confines of the soil-less media, even if any superficial roots are abraded before planting.

If you give up on your "...horrendous...chlorotic and lame, barely any bloom, poor form..." plant and perform the shovel-pruning, do yourself and all here a favor and spend a little time examining the corpse. Take crime scene photos and post them! There's a lesson in every failure (even through no fault of your own) and everyone can learn from the deceased.

The Itea "Henry's Garnet" that I bought was very badly rootbound. I tried the best I could to "tease it", but to get those roots completely unbound would have required a chainsaw. I'll just have to wait and see how good it does this year. I drove past an old 5&10 store (which is a rare sight these days), and I saw this shrub for only $6 and had to have it.

I sliced the roots of mine mercilessly, maybe that's why it's doing so well. At the time, I didn't know any better, thought that's what you do to rootbound plants. Dumb luck smiles on me again, LOL. SHAZAM!

Mine seems to be flowering nicely.

I love Itea virginicas. They are a native wetlands plant in my area. I have 9 of them in a roadside bed planting with redbuds, astilbes, and viburnum. Here's one in bloom last year (early June): http://davesgarden.com/journal/ed/viewimage.php?did=15280

I know this is an old thread, but I'm digging around in 'Dave's Garden' trying to find out if Itea might survive being planted on the Western side of my house in afternoon sun.

Some of the pics look like they are in full sun in warmer zones than mine (zone 7/Coastal Plain)--what do you all think?

Teresa

Virginia sweetspire will grow and flower prolifically in a site as you describe, as long as you don't let it dry out.

Well watered is wonderful when in warm weather.