OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Saxifragales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Itea virginica   FAMILY Iteaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Itea virginica   FAMILY Grossulariaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America

Itea virginica

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 094-01-001:

Itea virginica   FAMILY Saxifragaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Itea virginica

 

COMMON NAME:
Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

Keith Bradley    kab_itea_virginica_73585

March    Collier County    FL

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm160416_265

April    Lowndes County    GA

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm160416_268

April    Lowndes County    GA

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm160416_270

April    Lowndes County    GA

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

Mark A. Musselman    mam_virginiawillo042606d

April    Dorchester County    SC

Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm080601_001

May    Greenville County    SC

Stigma capitate, styles fused at anthesis and separate in fruit, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm080601_005

May    Greenville County    SC

Five white petals, five inserted stamens, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm100514_098

May    Greenville County    SC

Ashmore Heritage Preserve

Leaf margins toothed throughout vs. Clethra alnifolia's only on upper blade, per Atlantic Coastal Plain Wildflowers (Nelson, 2006).


click here to see other plants that look similar to this COMPARE leaves of Clethra and Itea

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm190506_8210

May    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

Itea provides invaluable erosion control by a creek, per Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Wasowski & Wasowski, 1994, 2020).

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm190506_8211

May    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm210907_3577

September    Greenville County    SC

Blackwell Heritage Preserve

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm210907_3579

September    Greenville County    SC

Blackwell Heritage Preserve

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm210907_3580

September    Greenville County    SC

Blackwell Heritage Preserve

Cylindric capsules 2-grooved, beaked with swollen pistil, within persistent calyx, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm221004_0234

October    Greenville County    SC

Bald Rock Heritage Preserve

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm081110_011

November    Buncombe County    NC

NC Arboretum

'Henry's Garnet'

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm211116_4969

November    Greenville County    SC

Blackwell Heritage Preserve

image of Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire, Virginia-willow

JK Marlow    jkm211116_5006

November    Greenville County    SC

Blackwell Heritage Preserve

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Itea virginica   FAMILY Iteaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Itea virginica   FAMILY Grossulariaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Itea virginica

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 094-01-001:
Itea virginica   FAMILY Saxifragaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Itea virginica

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

768

Shrub
Perennial

Habitat: Moist forests and thickets, especially along the banks of streams, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common (uncommon in Mountains)

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Deciduous
Simple
Alternate

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
White
Radially symmetrical
5-lobed calyx with cup-shaped tube
5 petals
Bisexual

FRUIT:
Spring/Summer
Capsule

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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