{"product_id":"virginia-willow-itea-itea-virginica","title":"Virginia Willow \/ Itea (Itea virginica) — Native Louisiana Wetland Shrub","description":"\u003ch2\u003eVirginia Willow \/ Itea \u003cem\u003e(Itea virginica)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMost ornamental shrubs fail in wet Louisiana soil. Virginia Willow was made for it. A graceful, arching native shrub of bayou margins and wet woodland edges, it produces fragrant white flower spikes in June and July that draw native bees and hummingbirds, then turns brilliant red-orange in fall — some of the most spectacular fall foliage of any native plant in the Gulf South, in the wet spots where most other shrubs have already given up. A four-season plant of exceptional beauty and ecological generosity, deeply underused and long overdue for its moment.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGrown and shipped from Big Mamou Enterprises — Bayou Self, Lake Charles, Louisiana.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBotanical Profile\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBotanical Name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Itea virginica\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFamily:\u003c\/strong\u003e Iteaceae (Virginia Willow family)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative Range:\u003c\/strong\u003e Eastern United States from New Jersey to Florida and west to Missouri and Texas; native to Louisiana bayou margins, wet woodland edges, and floodplain swales\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5–9\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMature Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3–5 feet tall; spreads by root suckers into graceful thickets\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Time:\u003c\/strong\u003e June–July; fragrant white flower spikes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to full shade — one of the most light-adaptable native shrubs available\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wet to moist; tolerates standing water, clay, and periodic flooding\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFall Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Brilliant red-orange — exceptional in wet areas where few other shrubs perform\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEcological Role\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eFragrant flowers are a nectar source for native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in summer. Dense thickets provide nesting cover for marsh birds and small mammals. Spreads by root suckers to stabilize bayou banks and prevent erosion. Fall foliage provides brilliant color in wet areas where few other plants perform.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCajun Heritage \u0026amp; Cultural Use\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eKnown in Cajun tradition as \u003cem\u003esaule de Virginie\u003c\/em\u003e — Virginia willow — for the arching, willow-like branches that sweep over the bayou margin. In the traiteur tradition, the bark of Itea virginica was used as an astringent wash for skin inflammations and minor wounds, drawing on the tannin-rich properties common to the broader Iteaceae family. The shrub was recognized as a plant of the wet threshold — of the boundary between the garden and the bayou, between the cultivated and the wild. A plant that grew where the water came, and stayed when it left.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIn the Cajun Heritage Garden\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of the \u003cem\u003eHeritage Garden\u003c\/em\u003e collection at Big Mamou Enterprises. Plant in full sun to full shade in wet to moist soil — rain gardens, pond margins, bayou banks, and any low spot that holds water. Spreads by root suckers — remove unwanted shoots to control spread or allow to naturalize. Prune lightly after bloom. A four-season native shrub that rewards the gardener who gives it wet feet and room to spread.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Mamou Enterprises","offers":[{"title":"4\"\/small","offer_id":49868974424304,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1 gal\/med","offer_id":49868974457072,"sku":null,"price":34.29,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"3gal\/large","offer_id":49868974489840,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0824\/7171\/5056\/files\/virginia-willow-itea-itea-virginica.png?v=1779906721","url":"https:\/\/realtimecajun.com\/products\/virginia-willow-itea-itea-virginica","provider":"Big Mamou Enterprises","version":"1.0","type":"link"}