Deutzia are a group of deciduous shrubs which are Asiatic in origin and allied to philadelphus. Although it is a generalisation not borne out by all the habits of individual species and cultivars, they are mainly smaller growing and easier to cope with in the garden than philadelphus.
There are few British gardens which do not have a hardy deutzia somewhere within them performing at their best in June.
Deutzia all have white to pink flowers which have five petals (four in philadelphus) and appear in panicles or racemes. Some species also have attractive peeling bark in maturity.
All species and cultivars are suitable for the shrub border although the taller growing forms also make attractive free standing specimens in a woodland glade.
Deutzia are fully hardy but some varieties (D. gracilis, D. setchuanensis) produce early new growth which can occasionally be nipped back by late frosts.
Deutzia are notoriously easy to grow and most are lime tolerant which is why they are so universally grown in the UK. They prefer a loamy soil with plenty of moisture but are not really that fussy and can thrive in poor soil or exposed locations. You will find the lower growing varieties used in quantity in supermarket car parks and on roundabouts.
No pruning of deutzia is normally necessary. However, when the plants are fully mature, an occasional thinning out of the old worn out branches may well be helpful in encouraging more subsequent flowering. These plants can also readily be cut back hard if necessary in a border when they are dormant.
Deutzia are trouble free plants as regards pests and diseases.
They can easily be propagated in summer from softwood cuttings or, in the winter, from hardwood cuttings.
Our selection of the three best deutzia to grow:
D. longifolia, 'Dali' & 'Strawberry Fields'
Styrax shiraianus, Styrax formosanus var. formosanus, Styrax japonicus 'Emerald Pagoda', Styrax japonicus 'Wespelaar', Styrax hookeri yunnanensis, Styrax japonicus 'Purple Dress'