1.0Nursery IPMhttps://sites.rutgers.edu/nursery-ipmTalia L. Gouldhttps://sites.rutgers.edu/nursery-ipm/author/tlg137/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="xqy3KWmwCI"><a href="https://sites.rutgers.edu/nursery-ipm/virginia-sweetspire/">Virginia Sweetspire</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://sites.rutgers.edu/nursery-ipm/virginia-sweetspire/embed/#?secret=xqy3KWmwCI" width="600" height="338" title="“Virginia Sweetspire” — Nursery IPM" data-secret="xqy3KWmwCI" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://sites.rutgers.edu/nursery-ipm/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> https://sites.rutgers.edu/nursery-ipm/wp-content/uploads/sites/1396/2026/10/Itea-1-scaled.jpg19202560Virginia Sweetspire is a deciduous semi-evergreen shrub native to New Jersey to Florida and west to Missouri. In the wild it can be found in moist woods, swamps, and wet pine barrens. It features arching branches growing up to 4 to 8 feet tall and fragrant white bottlebrush flowers that bloom late spring to early summer. Bloom transfers into hard, brown seed capsules and in Autumn, bright green summer foliage turns to shades of deep red that intensify as the season progresses. When leaves fall in early winter, the plant’s red stems are revealed, contrasting wonderfully with snowy landscapes. Additionally, this shrub is resistant to drought, fire, wet soil and deer. It attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other birds.