Growing Deutzia

Pronunciation: doot'zee-uh 

There are about 60 species of woodland shrubs in the genus Deutzia, all found across Asia from the Himalayas to Japan. Some have great garden value as intense spring bloomers and work well in a variety of settings—in the shrub border, as a transition plant between the garden and woodlands, or as a specimen or foundation shrub.

Light: Grow in full sun for maximum flowering.

Soil: Average, well-drained garden soil.

Watering and fertilizing: Water your shrub well after planting. Unless you have more than 1″ of rainfall per week, give new plants a good soaking once a week during summer. Established plants can get by on less water, but most grow best if the soil remains evenly moist. Before watering, check the soil 1″ down to see if it is dry. Please note that more water is not better—when in doubt, don't water. We recommend against fertilizing at planting time and during the first growing season in your garden; plants need time to settle in before being pushed to grow. Most established plants grow best if fertilized with a light hand. Here at the Farm, we fertilize shrubs and trees just once, in early spring, with a light but even coverage of a balanced, granular fertilizer (such as 10-10-10 or an organic fertilizer).

Pruning: Deutzia blooms on the previous year's growth (known as "old wood"). If you prune your plant before it has bloomed in the spring, you may be removing flower buds. In late winter or early spring, cut away dead stems or stems that were broken over the winter. Wait until after flowering is finished to cut back stems to the strongest buds. If desired, established plants can be rejuvenated by cutting back no more than ⅓ of the oldest stems to the ground.