Sweetbells Leucothoe. This is the finest native shrub that I have ever found that will tolerate wet feet. When one plants most native shrubs in a wet area, even if that is where they normally grow, rarely will they do well. But this plant is an exception. This great native semi-evergreen shrub (here in zone 8) will get to a height of 4-6', and if kept well fertilized, it will be almost evergreen. Otherwise, it will shed a number of its leaves and in colder regions it may be completely deciduos. It produces racemes of Pieris-like flowers on 3-4" pendulous racemes here in April and is absolutely awesome. Introduced to the trade by Woodlanders of Aiken, SC. What we formerly called Leucothoe populifolia is now Agarista populifolia. Likewise, for this species, it has now been put in the genus Eubotrys, but I'm sure this will take years to catch on.
Zones 5-9
