| Virginia Sweetspire is an uncommon medium-sized shrub of streambanks. In North Carolina, Itea is found in the Coastal Plain, eastern half of the Piedmont, and western Mountains. Flowering in late spring, the inflorescence is a showy terminal raceme of whitish flowers. Other common names include Virginia-willow and Tassel-white. Virginia Sweetspire is somewhat similar to Coastal Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) in flower, but blooms much earlier (in May, August for Coastal Sweet Pepperbush) and has unfragrant flowers, while those of Coastal Sweet Pepperbush are extremely fragrant. Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| The alternate, deciduous, simple leaves are smooth above, somewhat shiny, and have impressed veins. Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Young stems are green and smooth. Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| The leaves are finely toothed. Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Mature stems are often reddish. Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/09.
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| Planted specimen, Durham, NC 5/24/09.
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| Robeson Co., NC 5/29/08.
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| In leaf, Virginia Sweetspire could be mistaken for Coastal Fetterbush (Eubotrys racemosa), which is more common. Penny's Bend, Durham Co., NC 8/24/08.
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| Croatan National Forest, Jones Co., NC 4/14/07.
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| Jones Co., NC 4/14/07.
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| Virginia Sweetspire almost always grows along streambanks. Jones Co., NC 4/14/07.
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| Bark detail. Penny's Bend, Durham Co., NC 8/24/08.
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| Fairly common as an ornamental, cultivated for its showy flowers as well as its brilliant fall color. The photo is of the cultivar 'Henry's Garnet'. Relationships with other genera are unclear - formerly lumped in the Saxifragaceae, now placed in either the Grossulariaceae (gooseberry family) or the Iteaceae (consisting only of the 20 or so species of Itea, which mostly grow in Asia). Chapel Hill, NC 5/14/03.
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