Deutzia: varieties, flowers & care

Deutzia’s stunning white flowers make them just as popular with humans as with pollinators. Find out more about this beautiful plant and its many varieties below.

In spring or early summer, you can’t help but notice deutzia’s sheer abundance of star-shaped blossoms. The deutzia shrub is often used in hedges because it adds a touch of elegance while still being very robust and low-maintenance.

Deutzia: flowering time, origin and characteristics

Deutzia is an ornamental plant that is often cultivated as a shrub. Deutzia is a member of the hydrangea family (Hydrangeaeae), which originates from East Asia, more specifically the Himalayas and Philippines. Though there are about 50 wild species in total, a few of which stem from Mexico. Of these naturally occurring species, only the Deutzia gracilis, or the Japanese snow flower, found its way to Europe. Most of the other garden deutzias are mainly cross-bred forms, many of which were cultivated by the French breeder, Victor Lemoine.

As deutzia flowers between May and June, its countless white or pink star-shaped flowers are impossible to miss. Deutzia’s flowers bloom on long umbrella-like vines and with magnificent pollen rich flowers – this valuable food supply makes the plant very popular with bees, bumblebees, and other pollinators.

Depending on the variety, deutzias grow between 0.8 and 4 metres tall. Deutzias have contrasting strong green leaves that are ovate, pointed, and toothed. Deutzia’s brown capsule fruits are inconspicuous and usually remain on the branches until the next spring.

Most deutzia varieties look very similar to each other, and there is little to distinguish them from the pipe bush (Philadelphus). One simple way to differentiate between the pipe bush and deutzia is from their branches: deutzias have hollow shoots, while pipe bush shoots have a white pith, or stem tissue.

Tip: There are also double-flower deutzias such as the fuzzy deutzia (Deutzia scabra ‘Plena’). These are not bee-friendly because the pollen and nectar giving plant organs are transformed into additional, decorative petals.

The most beautiful deutzia varieties

There is a wide range of beautiful deutzia varieties that are perfect for every garden.

• Japanese snow flower (Deutzia gracilis): Perhaps the most well-known deutzia, the Japanese snow flower is a dwarf variety that only grows up to 70 to 90cm tall. It also fits nicely into smaller gardens or on patios or balconies as a potted plant. This deutzia is recognisable by its abundance of small, pure white flowers.

• Tall deutzia (Deutzia x magnifica): Also known as showy deutzia, this variety grows up to 4m tall and about 2m wide when left unpruned. The Deutzia x magnifica grows quickly and makes an excellent hedge plant.

• Deutzia hybrida ‘Strawberry Fields’: This variety has bright pink flowers that produce a slightly sweet, strawberry-like scent. This strawberry-scented deutzia is an early bloomer, and flowers between April and May.

• Fuzzy deutzia (Deutzia scabra ‘Plena’): This traditional variety has uniquely fuzzy-textured leaves. Fuzzy deutzias are a popular ornamental plant grown both individually and in mixed hedges. Its double flowers look magnificent and voluminous.

• Kalmia flowered deutzia (Deutzia x kalmiiflora): This species reaches heights of 150cm and flowers abundantly in hues of pink, around June.

• Deutzia ‘Tourbillon Rouge’ (Deutzia x magnifica ‘Tourbillon Rouge’): Another tall deutzia variety, ‘Tourbillon Rouge’ grows about 3 metres high and produces deep pink flowers.

Planting deutzia: what to keep in mind

Planting deutzia is simple:

• Soak the root ball in a bucket of water
• Dig a planting hole that is about 1.5 times the size of the root ball
• Enrich the soil with potting compost, such our Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost
• Place the deutzia in the planting hole
• Fill in gaps with excavated soil and press down well
• Build a small watering circle and cover with layer of mulch
• Water well

The best time to plant deutzia is in September and October, as the warm soil provides the best conditions for rooting. Space the plants according to each variety’s growth and requirements. Deutzias like to be sheltered from the wind and in full sun or partial shade. Make sure the soil is loose, humus-rich, nutrient-rich and slightly sandy. If the soil is very sandy or clay-rich, mix in a high-quality compost, like our Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost, which can store water without getting waterlogged. What’s more, it provides the deutzia with essential nutrients and improves the soil life in the long term.

When growing deutzia as a hedge, it is especially important to stick to the right plant spacing. This varies from variety to variety: for example the spacing between dwarf varieties such as Deutzia gracilis is 30 cm, whereas tall-growing Deutzia x magnifica needs a spacing of 50 cm and the wide spreading Deutzia scabra as much as 100 cm.

Tip: growing deutzia in containers

Dwarf-growing deutzia varieties such as Deutzia gracilis, Deutzia x kalmiiflora or Deutzia x rosea need to be planted in a large container, at least 50 liters in volume. To avoid waterlogging, place clay discs as drainage between the bottom layer of soil and the planter. Our Plantura Organic All-Purpose Compost offers perfect conditions for lush growth.

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Deutzia plant care

Generally speaking, deutzia does not require a huge amount of care. It is not very demanding in terms of location and nutrients, though for an abundant flowering, you need to prune your deutzia rigorously every two years.

Watering and fertilising

Since deutzias are very hardy and undemanding, watering is only necessary for soil that does not retain water well. During long periods of heat during the summer, if the soil feels dry, you can water the deutzia generously, but only seldom. The plant also signals a lack of water by drooping leaves. If the deutzia is growing in a nutrient-poor soil, apply a slow-release fertiliser, such as our Plantura All Purpose Plant Food, once in spring. The balance of nutrients in this plant food ensures healthy growth and lasts for at least three months. Alternatively, you can apply a mixture of compost and wood chips as a mulch around the plant.

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Pruning deutzia

Deutzia should be pruned every two years. Feel free to be generous with pruning, as deutzia will then sprout again all the more magnificently. Rejuvenation pruning is especially important because deutzia is not long-lived and ages quickly. This involves removing the old wood so that the plant can grow new healthy shoots in its place. Cut off all old shoots as close to the ground as possible, after flowering or in spring or late winter. Pruning in spring will remove some buds, but the deutzia will regrow more vigorously than after a summer pruning.

Tip: To encourage the deutzia to flower again in autumn, cut back the flowered shoots above the buds by about a third in June and July.

Propagating deutzia

Deutzia can be propagated from cuttings with semi-mature shoots in late spring and early summer. For this, cut about 8 cm long, green or slightly woody shoots with two leaf nodes. Once you have removed the lower leaves, put the shoot in low-nutrient growing soil, such as our Plantura Organic Herb & Seeding Compost. It is peat-free and specially adapted with a nutrient balance that meets the needs of young plants and stimulates healthy root growth. Keep the soil moist at all times to allow roots to form over the next 4 to 6 weeks. Place the pot out of direct sun, but still in a bright location.

Deutzias can also be propagated from shoots through a process called layering. To do this, use one of the lower shoots of the mother plant and fix it in the ground. Pile some more soil on top of the shoot so that plenty of roots can form in the soil. After some time, the shoot should be well-rooted and you can cut it from its mother plant. This will create a separate plant with exactly the same characteristics of the mother plant. When planting in the spring, make sure to pick a spot that has not had deutzia in it before, as they are not compatible with themselves. It usually takes a year for a plant to become well-established and independent.

Overwintering deutzia

Deutzia are hardy and do not need winter protection. But this does not apply to cuttings and potted plants, which both need protection during the colder months. To do this, double wrap the planters with insulating materials such as plastic, fleece, jute or coconut fibre. Then overwinter the cuttings in a cool and bright, but frost-free place.

Are deutzia poisonous?

Deutzia is not poisonous. It is completely safe for humans, both adults and children. The leaves, flowers and shoots do not contain any toxins, so you do not have to worry about your pets either.

Deutzia enhance hedges with their decorative flowers. Read our article on flowering hedges to discover twelve hardy plants that are perfect for introducing colour to your garden edges.