How to Prune Itea Virginica "Merlot"
- 1. Soak all pruning tools in a disinfectant solution of about one part bleach to three parts water to avoid spreading disease among different plants. Repeat this process after pruning any diseased foliage.
- 2. Deadhead the expired blooms from the plant to improve the appearance of the "Merlot" shrub. ...
Full Answer
Is Little Henry native to North America?
As colorful as burning bush, but native to North America and pollinator friendly! Little Henry is a useful native plant with lots of potential for the home landscape. It prefers moist soils and will tolerate wet conditions. It will grow in full sun to full shade, and requires little pruning or other maintenance.
Does Little Henry need iron?
In spite of the information that says it is not picky about pH conditions, it needs iron to do well in SE Wisconsin, where we have lime based soil. I am adding an iron product to the soil and hope that it improves the health of the plants.
Why remove rubbing branches from a sage plant?
Remove any rubbing branches or inward growing branches to open up the inside of the plant for better air circulation and healthy branch development.
How to make a Merlot bush fuller?
Prune back tall, wild branches above a bud, or to the nearest connecting stem, to control the plant height and encourage branching for a fuller, shapelier plant. This method also works to force branching to balance out a lopsided plant. If one side of the "Merlot" bush appears thinner, cut back some of the branches to force them to develop more forks to ultimately fill out the plant.
Do you need to prune Merlot?
The flowers bloom on the previous season's growth, so you must wait to prune until blooms expire to avoid cutting off the developing flower buds. "Merlot" is more compact that other Virginia sweetspire cultivars and only requires light maintenance and shaping pruning.
What is a little Henry shrub?
Itea virginica Little Henry® (Virginia Sweetspire) is a small, compact, deciduous shrub boasting bottlebrush spikes of lightly fragrant, creamy-white flowers in late spring to early summer. The flowers are so profuse that they literally cover the shrub. The foliage of oval, dark green leaves warms up to brilliant shades of oranges and reds in the fall for a long-lasting display. Perfect for full sun or shade, Virginia Sweetspire rewards gardeners with three seasons of interest while requiring little care. Great for massing on large banks, in beds, perennial and shrub borders.
How tall is Little Henry?
Virginia Sweetspire Little Henry®, Sweet Spire Little Henry®, Tassel-White Little Henry®, Virginia Willow Little Henry®, Virginian Willow Little Henry®, Itea virginica 'Sprich' 1 Grows up to 2-3 ft. tall and wide (60-90 cm). 2 A full sun, part shade or full shade lover, this plant is best grown in average, medium to wet, slightly acid, well-drained soils. Clay and wet soil tolerant. 3 A versatile shrub for shrub borders, open woodland gardens, foundations or hedges. Can be massed to create a pretty ground cover. Perfect for wet soils near ponds and streams. 4 Promptly remove root suckers unless naturalized look is desired 5 Virtually disease and pest free. 6 Prune immediately after flowering. Propagate by seed or semi-hardwood cuttings.
What color is Henry's Garnet?
Fall foliage color: Reddish orange. This dwarf form of ‘Henry’s Garnet’ is a good choice for smaller gardens and even works well as a shrubby groundcover when allowed to naturalize. In autumn, the leaves turn fiery shades of red and orange that rival the fall color of burning bush ( Euonymus alatus ).
Is itea hardy?
Itea shrubs thrive in almost any soil type, including clay, and are hardy in all but the coldest climates. Pests? Not a problem. Care requirements? Minimal. And if all that isn’t impressive enough, Virginia sweetspire is also modest in size and offers multiple seasons of interest, starting with a profusion of bottlebrush-like flower clusters in May and ending with spectacular fall foliage that remains colorful well into winter. Plus, it's deer resistant and attracts bees and butterflies.
When to cut a shrub stem?
Locate a healthy stem near the tip of the plant during the early summer just after the plant has finished growing. The ideal stem for a stem cutting is firm and woody near the base and flexible at the tip. Check the shrub and the stem you selected and make sure it is not damaged.
How to cut a sage stem?
Make sure that the stem you selected is free of flowers but has several green leaves near the tip. Use a sharp knife to strip any leaves from the bottom half of the stem cutting. Make a 1-inch incision on opposite sides of the stem in the firm woody end.
How to transplant Virginia Sweetspire?
Move your stem cutting to a larger pot once it has successfully established roots. Water your Virginia sweetspire often to maintain a moist growing medium but avoid saturating the soil. Allow the stem cutting to strongly establish itself in the pot before you transplant it outdoors. Your Virginia sweetspire will grow best in a shady area that receives full sunlight for a few hours a day.
What is itea virginica?
Itea virginica, commonly called Virginia sweetspire, is a native deciduous shrub that produces drooping spires supporting small white flowers on slender branches. During the fall its foliage turns red, providing a colorful ornamental addition for your landscape throughout the growing season.
How long are itea leaves?
Itea plants have medium green leaves up to 4 inches (10 cm.) long, turning shades of yellow, orange, red, and mahogany in the fall. The Itea spreads by underground runners, which may be blocked to control the spread of the pleasing native Itea bush.
How big does an Itea bush get?
About Itea Shrubs. The Itea bush grows 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 m.) in height, with a width of 4 to 6 feet (1 to 2 m.) when growing in the wild. Cultivated Itea sweetspire often does not reach this size.
When does Itea Sweetspire bloom?
Locate the Itea shrub in moist to wet soils in a part shade to full sun area for fragrant racemes of 4-inch (10 cm.) blooms in May.
Is itea a shrub?
The moderately growing Itea plant takes an erect form with arching branches. Although it is one of few shrubs that live in wet soil, the Itea bush is also drought tolerant . Attractive, reddish, autumn foliage makes the Itea sweetspire an excellent part of the fall display.
