Sweetspire is a perennial grown for its white blooms, which open in mid spring and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 5 through 11. Its mid spring flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Zones
5-11
pH Range
4-7.5
Sun
Shade
Days to Maturity
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What Sweetspire is
Sweetspire grows as a perennial and reaches around six feet at maturity. It blooms white in mid spring.
How to grow Sweetspire
Sweetspire grows in USDA zones 5 through 11. Sweetspire does best in shade — at least 2 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4 to 7.5. It needs a growing season of at least 180 frost-free days and about 400 hours of winter chill, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
5-11
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Shade
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
Data pending
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
-24°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
6 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Chill Hours
400+
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
180+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant sweetspire in shade with at least 2 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Sweetspire prefers pH 4 to 7.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.
Harvest at its peak
Cut sweetspire blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — sweetspire isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Sweetspire offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Sweetspire thrives
Sweetspire is hardy across USDA zones 5 through 11. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 5–11·Where Sweetspire growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Sweetspire can grow in these states:
See if Sweetspire will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether sweetspire actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Sweetspire in my zone?
Sweetspire grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 11 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Sweetspire?
Most growers plant sweetspire after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 180-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Sweetspire need?
Sweetspire is shade-tolerant — it gets by on as little as 2 hours of direct sun, so it earns a place most vegetables can't use. A north-facing strip or the ground under a leafy canopy is right where it belongs. A Growable Ground report shows which corners of your land stay shaded through the day, turning those dim spots into planting spots.
What soil does Sweetspire need?
Sweetspire prefers soil pH 4 to 7.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Sweetspire attract pollinators?
Yes — sweetspire's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Sweetspire safe for pets?
Sweetspire is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.