Virginia Sweetspire 'Little Henry'

Itea virginica 'Little Henry'

Virginia Sweetspire 'Little Henry' is a shrub for edging, structure, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam, acid soil or moist ground, flowering May, Jun, Jul.

Where to use it in a border

At around 75 cm, it sits best toward the back of a border, or on its own as a focal point with room around it. Give it about 90 cm of room to spread. It is hardy across USDA zones 5a to 9b, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, shade, clay soil, acid soil, wet soil, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Virginia Sweetspire 'Little Henry''s height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• It copes with ground that stays wet, which most border plants will not.
• It tolerates acid soil but dislikes shallow chalk.
• It tolerates a shaded, north-facing spot.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• Creeping Phlox 'Sherwood Purple'to edge in front
• Florida Leucothoefor height behind it
• Northern Sea Oatsto flower when it does not
• Summersweet 'Hummingbird'to flower when it does not
• Summersweet 'Ruby Spice'for height behind it
• Cast-Iron Plantto edge in front

Garden styles

Foundation planting Native Shade cottage Wildlife garden Woodland