Little Henry® Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
You can only choose one Ship Week per order for all plants in order to check out.
How Does Proven Winners® Measure Plant Sizes?
We list our plants by container size, which reflects the amount of soil and root growth each plant has when it ships. Actual plant height and width vary by variety and season, and many plants grow quickly as the weather warms.
To help you understand what to expect, refer to our size guide below. You can also find each plant’s approximate arrival size and mature size on its product page.
How Does Proven Winners® Measure Plant Sizes?
How Does Proven Winners® Measure Plant Sizes?
Plant Height By Container Size
This chart highlights the typical heights for each size category while also showing how container sizes compare, giving you a clear, straightforward way to understand plant size at arrival and choose the best fit for your gardening needs.
This chart shows typical plant heights and compares container sizes, helping you quickly understand arrival size and choose the best fit.
Soil Volume By Container Size
This chart shows the typical soil volume for each container size, listed in both imperial and metrics units for easy comparison.
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Little Henry® Sweetspire brings the charm and resilience of native plants to both challenging and traditional garden spaces. Naturally suited to rain gardens and damp soils, it also thrives in average conditions, making it a versatile solution for a wide range of landscapes.
In summer, Little Henry® comes to life with fragrant, white flower spikes that attract pollinators and add gentle movement to the garden. As the seasons shift, it delivers a vibrant show of red fall foliage—offering a native alternative to burning bush with ecological benefits and no invasive tendencies.
This dwarf variety grows to about half the size of traditional sweetspire, making it ideal for smaller landscapes, foundation plantings, mixed borders, or mass plantings. While blooms and color may be softer in shade, Little Henry® still performs reliably and maintains its tidy, mounded form.
Easy-care, richly textured, and seasonally dynamic, Little Henry® is a smart, sustainable choice for today’s landscapes.
- 2-3 feet tall and wide at maturity
- Hardy in zones 5-9, be sure to check your USDA zone to ensure success
- Plant in sun or shade, though bloom amount and fall color will be increased if planted in at least part sun
- Space plants 2-3 feet apart for best results
- Maintains green foliage in spring and summer that matures to shades of red in the fall
- Produces upright spikes of fragrant white flowers throughout summer
- Blooms on old wood
- Great for borders, containers, edging, groundcover, landscapes, mass planting, or as a focal point
- Attracts bees and butterflies while resisting deer
- Native to North America, dwarf variety, fall interest, drought tolerant
Care: Fertilize with Proven Winners Continuous Release Plant Food in spring and mid-summer. Prune after flowering if desired; remove any dead wood in spring if necessary.
Shipping Info:
- Enjoy free shipping on orders over $175
- Size at shipping varies by season, plant, and trimming schedules
- Quart shrubs are 5-8 in. at the time of shipment
- 1 Gallon shrubs are 6-24 in. at the time of shipment
- Shrubs shipped Nov-Apr will arrive dormant; shrubs shipped Apr-Oct will arrive green or in bloom
