Henry’s Garnet Sweetspire

Botanical Name: Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’

Common Name: Henry’s Garnet Sweetspire

Mature Height and Width:
3–5' tall × 4–6' wide

Growth Habit:
Medium-sized deciduous shrub with arching, outward-spreading branches. Forms a broad mounded shape, often wider than tall. Gradually spreads by suckering to create larger colonies. Moderate growth rate.

Foliage Description:
Medium green elliptic leaves with fine serration. Dense summer canopy with visible layered branching. Fall color develops rich garnet-red to burgundy tones, often holding well into late autumn. Matte finish.

Flower Description:
Pendulous cylindrical racemes of small white flowers, typically 4–6" long. Flowers are lightly fragrant and borne along arching stems, producing a cascading effect across the canopy.

Bloom Time:
Late spring to early summer.

Fall Color:
Deep garnet-red to burgundy-purple.

Light Requirements:
Full sun to partial shade. Best flowering and fall color in sun; tolerates moist, partially shaded conditions.

Hardiness Zone:
USDA Zones 5–9.

Notable Landscape Uses:
Mass planting; woodland edge; rain garden; slope stabilization; naturalized areas; mid-layer shrub in mixed borders; foundation planting in informal settings.

Deer Resistance:
Moderate
Occasional browsing possible under pressure but generally not preferred.