This time of year, big box nurseries often offer a lot of what’s most popular: lilacs, forsythias, azaleas. Why not “think outside the box” and use Deutzia, a small, carefree shrub that bears pretty spring flowers on arching stems, settles to a neat, rounded appearance in summer and ends the season with lovely burgundy colored leaves. A versatile shrub, it thrives in full sun to part shade, adapts to poor soil, is drought-tolerant once established and looks great planted in masses or in containers. There are many varieties available; we introduce you to three varieties we particularly love.
Chardonnay Pearls Deutzia, which grows to 24 inches tall and just as wide, has tiny, white, pearl-like buds that open to citrus-scented, trumpet-shaped flowers in spring. A bonus is its leaves that emerge gold and turn a bright, lime green in summer.
Yuki Cherry Blossom Deutzia is the first dwarf-type deutzia with pink flowers. Also growing to 24 inches tall and just as wide at maturity, it bears gorgeous magenta-pink and cream flowers that resemble blooms of Japanese sakura trees. Leaves are a dark green.
Spring Sensation Deutzia is the largest of the three Deutzia we love, with a mature size of 5’h x 5’w . Clusters of small, white blooms cover all of its arching stems in spring. It has dark green leaves.
