Little Henry Sweetspire

Botanical Name: Itea virginica ‘Little Henry’

Common Name: Little Henry Sweetspire

Mature Height and Width:
2–3' tall × 3–4' wide

Growth Habit:
Low, mounded deciduous shrub with gently arching branches. Dense but not rigid; spreads slowly by suckering to form wider colonies over time. Moderate growth rate.

Foliage Description:
Medium green elliptic leaves with fine serration. Foliage forms a dense mound in summer. Fall color transitions to red, burgundy, and purple tones, often holding late into autumn. Matte surface.

Flower Description:
Pendulous cylindrical racemes of small white flowers, 3–5" long. Blooms are lightly fragrant and borne along the arching stems, creating a cascading effect rather than upright panicles.

Bloom Time:
Late spring to early summer.

Fall Color:
Red to burgundy-purple, often persistent.

Light Requirements:
Full sun to partial shade. Best flowering in sun; tolerates moist, partially shaded sites.

Hardiness Zone:
USDA Zones 5–9.

Notable Landscape Uses:
Low foundation border; mass planting; woodland edge; rain garden; erosion control on gentle slopes; foreground layer in mixed shrub beds.

Deer Resistance:
Moderate
Occasional browsing may occur under pressure, but generally not preferred.