Abstract

Itea virginica L., Virginia sweetspire, is a flowering shrub native to the eastern United States. It has become popular recently due to its multiple seasons of interest, ease of propagation, and relative lack of significant insect or disease problems. Several cultivars of I. virginica varying in fall color, growth habit, and inflorescence length are now commonly seen in the landscape. These cultivars can be difficult to distinguish morphologically and can be confused in the trade. We used randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers to reliably identify four of six commonly grown cultivars: ‘Sarah Eve’, ‘Saturnalia’, ‘Henry's Garnet’, and ‘Longspire’. The technique was also useful for identifying unknown or apparently mis-labeled cultivars. However, RAPD markers were not sensitive enough to separate the well-known I. virginica cultivars ‘Sprinch’ (Little Henry^™) and ‘Merlot’.