Itea is a genus of about 10 species of shrub

Shrub

A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...

s and small tree

Tree

A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...

s. The leaves are alternate. Flowers are small, with 5 sepals and 5 petals, borne in racemes or spikes.

They are native to eastern Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

, and with one deciduous species from eastern North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

.

Some species are grown in ornamental gardens for their long pendant and fragrant flower heads. These include the evergreen I. ilicifolia and I. yunnanensis from central and western China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

. A different upright growing characteristic can be found in the deciduous I. virginica

Itea virginica

Itea virginica is a plant in the Iteaceae.-Description:I. virginica is a shrub with alternate, simple leaves, on arching stems. The flowers are white, borne in summer. It has deciduous to semievergreen shrub and grows from 3' to 6' tall. It is a multistemmed, suckering and colonizing plant...

of eastern North America.