Itea ilicifolia
(Holly Sweet Spire)
Family - Iteaceae
Category - Shrub
Origin - China
Discovered By - Augustine Henry
Year of Introduction - prior to 1895
Season of Interest - Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
Hardiness - H5
Height - 3m or more
Width - 3m
Location - The Cool Garden
Description: A medium-sized, Evergreen Shrub with an upright, spreading habit. Itea ilicifolia can be grown as a free-standing Shrub or trained against a wall. Rigid, glossy dark green leaves are oval to Elliptic in shape and have spiny teeth along the margins. Small greenish-white flowers are fragrant and held in elegant, pendent Racemes that can reach to 30cm in length. The Blooms are produced from midsummer into early autumn and are attractive to pollinating insects.
Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Additional common name - Holly-leaved Sweet Spire
Flower:
Small greenish-white flowers are fragrant and held in slender, pendent racemes. Each raceme can reach to 30cm or more in length. The flowers are produced from July into September.
Flower colour: Greenish-white
Flower shape: Small flowers in racemes
Flowering time: July, August, September
Foliage:
Stiff, oval to Elliptic leaves are glossy dark green on the upper surfaces and paler on the undersides. The foliage resembles that of Ilex (Holly) with its rigid, leathery texture and spiny teeth around the leaf margins. The leaves are Alternately arranged on upright branches.
Foliage Senescence: Evergreen
Foliage Shape: Oval to elliptic
Propagation:
Cuttings, seed.
Cultivation:
Best in a sheltered position in full sun to partial shade. Itea ilicifolia prefers a fertile soil that is moisture retentive, but well drained.