Itea ilicifolia, Hollyleaf Sweetspire is a choice hardy evergreen shrubby tree from Western and Central China where it grows in montane forests and along streams to elevations of 1500-1700 m. It has elegant elongated pendulous racemes of greenish-white flowers that have a sweet honey-vanilla fragrance and hang down in a graceful weeping fashion throughout the summer. The foliage is dark leathery green, paler on the undersides and very reminiscent visually of a holly if somewhat softer and less spiny.

Itea ilicifolia is one of those plants that deserves to be grown more and yet one rarely encounters. It has evergreen foliage, extremely showy and graceful flowers, a sweet perfume and it tolerates shade. An unusual and richly rewarding plant.

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