FIELD ID CHARACTERISTICS:
Distinctive fruit capsules arranged in racemes. Difficult to identify without flowers or fruits; however, in summer, this species develops flower buds that remain on twigs all winter, until opening in spring.
Synonym(s): Eubotrys elongata, Leucothoe elongata, Leucothoe racemosa
Description: Deciduous shrub reaching to 4 m, but typically smaller.
Leaves: Alternate, elliptic, finely (but unevenly) serrated leaves. Size varies greatly on branches. Leaves 3 to 9 cm long, 1 to 4 cm wide.
Flowers/Fruit: Sharply pointed flower buds develop in summer, opening the following spring. White "urn" shaped flowers on straight or slightly arching racemes, as long as 9 cm. Fruit are dry brown capsules with 5 sutures and prominent styles remaining from flower. Blooms late March to early June; fruits September/October.
Habit and Range: Swamps, cypress-gum depressions, along shorelines, mainly in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain in forested wetlands with standing water.
COMMON CONFUSIONS:
Eubotrys racemosus (swamp fetterbush) leaves are similar to Itea virginica (Virginia sweetspire), but I. virginica flower clusters/capsules are on all sides of the central stalk. Main leaf veins of E. racemosus all curve back toward the mid-vein, whereas in I. virginica, lower veins extend to leaf edge. E. racemosus is also similar to Leucothoe axillaris (coastal doghobble), which has branched racemes and is evergreen.
Click here to view Itea virginica.
Click here to view Leucothoe axillaris.
Link to side-by-side comparisons page
