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Key characteristics

Family: Hydrangeaceae
Height: 1 to 2 feet
Width: 2 to 5 feet
Flower color: Pure white
Foliage color: Dark green, turning reddish-purple in the fall
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Moderate, prefers well-drained soil
Maintenance: Low
Wildlife: Bees and other pollinators

Shrubs

Deutzia gracilis ‘Nikko’

Japanese Snow Flower

Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko' is a compact, deciduous shrub prized for its stunning white flowers and attractive fall foliage, making it ideal for borders, rock gardens, and ground cover. Originating from Japan, 'Nikko' has a neat, mounding habit and produces a profusion of pure white, star-shaped flowers in late spring to early summer. The blooms contrast beautifully against its dark green foliage, which turns a striking reddish-purple in fall.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Moderate, prefers well-drained soil

Bloom time

Late spring to early summer

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Rock Gardens
Borders
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Holly · Daisy bush · Tulips · Pineapple lily · Salvias · Rose campion

Design tip

A broad spread combined with very low height makes ‘Nikko’ especially useful for creating a flowering sweep across the front of a planting. Its reddish-purple autumn foliage extends the display well beyond the white spring flowers, giving this small shrub an unusually long season of color.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)