Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko Blue' (Dwarf Slender Deutzia)

Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko' is a cultivar of slender deutzia selected from a nursery in Gotemba City, Japan in the 1970s and noted for its profuse white flowers and low, mounding growth habit. A common plant in Japanese-style gardens, slender deutzia is an attractive, low-growing shrub for most of the year with fine, bright green leaves on even, sprawling stems. However, when 'Nikko' begins flowering from late spring to early summer, this slender deutzia becomes a beautiful, show-stopping attraction covered from top to bottom in bright white flowers which appeals to a wide variety of pollinators.

With a relatively sprawling but mounded growth habit, Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko' grows to only 1-2' tall, though it can easily fill a small area up to 5' wide with its beautiful, suckering growth. And though this cultivar's spring flowers are the main attraction, red fall foliage makes a great impression for multi-season gardens too! Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko' works well in mass plantings, but especially as a low, ground-cover style planting on slopes and near foundations; this Deutzia also works great in pollinator gardens, since spring flowers are highly attractive to a number of pollinators as well as gardeners, thanks to its lightly fragrant blooms. 'Nikko' grows best in moist soils with full sun to partial shade, but is not picky about soil type or drainage.