Itea virginica 'Saturnalia'

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Itea virginica 'Saturnalia'

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Kemper Code: V920

Common Name: Virginia sweetspire
Zone: 5 to 9
Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Grossulariaceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: None
Height: 3 to 4 feet
Spread: 4 to 5 feet
Bloom Time: June Bloom Data
Bloom Color: White
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low

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Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Adaptable to full shade. Prefers moist, humusy soils, but tolerates wide range of soil conditions. Naturalizes by root suckers to form large colonies if left unchecked.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

This Virginia sweetspire cultivar is an erect, rounded, broad-spreading, deciduous shrub with arching branches. Typically grows 3-4' (less frequently to 5') tall with a similar spread. Features fragrant, tiny white flowers borne in cylindrical, drooping racemes (3-6" long) which cover the shrub with bloom in late spring to early summer. Oval, dark green leaves (1-4" long) turn varying shades of red, orange and gold in autumn. Long period of fall color, with leaves often persisting on the plants until early winter. Cultivar name of 'Saturnalia' is in reference to the ancient Roman festival of the same name held on or about December 17 in celebration of the winter solstice.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems.

Uses:

Specimen or group. Moist, sunny or shady areas of shrub borders or woodland gardens. Naturalize in wild areas or along stream or ponds. Hedge. Foundation plant.