Moist to wet soil, in a border or at the edge of a pond, tolerates waterlogged soils
Flowering: June – July
Part shade
Shade
Hardy to about -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its long, fragrant white flower spikes cascade gracefully like a little plant waterfall, an effect that has earned it the nickname 'fountain shrub' in some English-speaking gardens.
🍃 Leaves
Deciduous, elliptic, finely toothed, bright green turning purplish red in autumn
🌸 Flowers
White, fragrant, in narrow arching drooping spikes
🍎 Fruits
Small brown capsules, not very ornamental
🪵 Bark
Reddish-brown, upright stems in a suckering clump
🗺️ Distribution
Native to the eastern United States; planted in Europe in damp borders and ericaceous gardens
🐝 Value for pollinators
Nectar-rich summer flowers much visited by bees
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted for its fragrant flower spikes in summer and its colourful autumn foliage
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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