Stephen Albert
Deutzia is a deciduous shrub grown for its airy sprays of white or pink spring flowers. Deutzias have a delicate arching habit. Some develop showy exfoliating bark with age.
Deutzia flowers are borne on long stems studded with clusters of five-petalled, star-shaped, or cup-shaped flowers to about 1 inch (2.5cm) across.
Deutzia blooms in spring are followed by a summer of green foliage, yellow autumn leaves, and then bare wood. Adding Deutzia to a shrub border of evergreens will showcase the spring flowers.
Get to know Deutzia
- Plant type: Deciduous shrub
- Growing zones and range: Zones 4 to 8
- Hardiness: Cold hardy deciduous shrub; flowers can be damaged by a late frost
- Height and width: 3 to 8 feet tall and about as wide depending on the variety.
- Foliage: Green to gray opposite leaves are fairly narrow to 4 inches (10cm) long
- Flowers: Five-petalled, star-shaped or cupped flowers
- Bloom time: Mid to late spring
- Uses: Add to shrub borders for spring color; green after flowering
- Common name: Deutzia
- Botanical name: Deutzia
- Family name: Saxifragaceae
- Origin: Himalayas, China, Japan
Where to plant Deutzia
- Plant Deutzia in full sun or light shade.
- Grow Deutzia in average to moderately rich garden soil.
- Avoid planting Deutzia where there is a constant breeze.
When to plant Deutzia
- Plant bare-root shrubs in well-drained garden soil between autumn and early spring.
- Plant container-grown Deutzia in spring or autumn.
Planting and spacing Deutzia
- Space Deutzia 3 to 5 feet (.9-1.5m) apart depending on the variety.
How to water and feed Deutzia
- Keep the soil evenly moist.
- Fertilize Deutzia with an all-purpose organic fertilizer in spring.
Deutzia care
- Give Deutzia a hard pruning to within 6 inches of the ground every two to three years.
- Prune Deutzia in mid-summer after flowering is finished.
Deutzia pests and diseases
- Deutzia is usually problem free; it can be attacked by snails which eat new shoots.
Deutzia propagation
- Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in late summer.
- Propagate Deutzia by hardwood cuttings. Take hardwood cutting in autumn.
Deutzia varieties to grow
- Deutzia crenata ‘Nikko’: Grows to 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide; bears starry white flowers.
- D. elegantissima: Grows to 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide; bears deep rose flowers.
- D. gracilis: Bush shrub grows 3 to 5 feet tall in graceful mound; upright panicles or racemes of white flowers are slightly fragrant.
- D. x lemoinei, lemoine deutizia: Dense shrub grows to 6 feet tall and wide; cold-weather hardy; pure white flowers; yellow foliage in fall.
- D. x magnifica, showy deutzia: Upright grows to 6 feet tall; bears dense panicle of double flowers.
- D. scabra, fuzzy deutzia: Grows to 8 feet tall with expoliating bark.
