Itea (plant)
Itea is a genus of about 10 species of shrubs and small trees. The leaves are alternate. Flowers are small, with 5 sepals and 5 petals, borne in racemes or spikes.
They are native to eastern Asia, and with one deciduous species from eastern North America.
Some species are grown in ornamental gardens for their long pendant and fragrant flower heads. These include the evergreen I. ilicifolia and I. yunnanensis from central and western China. A different upright growing characteristic can be found in the deciduous I. virginica of eastern North America.
Species include:
- Itea chinensis Hook. & Arn.
- Itea ilicifolia Oliv.
- Itea japonica Oliv.
- Itea oldhamii C. K. Schneid.
- Itea parviflora Hemsl.
- Itea virginica L. - Virginia sweetspire
- Itea yunnanensis Franch.
