Flowering shrub

Slender deutzia

Deutzia gracilis

Slender deutzia (Deutzia gracilis) is a shrub in the Hydrangeaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states.

🌷 Flowering shrubIntroduced in the lower 48

Slender deutzia is a popular flowering shrub. It's on our flower lists for 15 states.

2states where USDA records it

15Bloomipedia state lists include it

11U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Our state lists also include states where people grow it in gardens, so they can outnumber USDA's wild-plant records. Planted garden shrubs are mostly excluded from research grade.

On our lists for: Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington

Quick look

Deutzia gracilis, the slender deutzia or Japanese snow flower, is a species of flowering plant in the hydrangea family Hydrangeaceae, native to Japan.
From Wikipedia's article Deutzia gracilis, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 2 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 3 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 2 research-grade sightings of it in Maryland, ranking #155 among the 189 flowers on our Maryland list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2 research-grade sightings of it in Michigan, ranking #146 among the 172 flowers on our Michigan list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #174 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1 records)

Bloom time in the 15 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Maryland	🌷 Garden	few records (1)	2
Michigan	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	2
Georgia	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	1
Missouri	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	1
North Carolina	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	1
New Jersey	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	1
New York	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	1
Virginia	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	1
Connecticut	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	0
Illinois	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	0
Massachusetts	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	0
Ohio	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	0
Oregon	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	0
Pennsylvania	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	0
Washington	🌷 Garden	no flowering records	0

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)

Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}

NatureServe global

GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. ^NatureServe

State rare plant lists

Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 14 of our 15 states.

See each state

Maryland: Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Maryland. ^{COMAR 08.03.08}
Michigan: Not listed Not on Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023). NatureServe has no Michigan rank for it. ^{R 299.1028}
Georgia: Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Georgia. ^{Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09}
Missouri: Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe has no Missouri rank for it. ^{3 CSR 10-4.111}
North Carolina: Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe has no North Carolina rank for it. ^{02 NCAC 48F .0301}
New Jersey: Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe has no New Jersey rank for it. ^{N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1}
New York: Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe has no New York rank for it. ^{6 NYCRR § 193.3}
Virginia: Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe has no Virginia rank for it. ^2VAC5-320-10
Connecticut: Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe has no Connecticut rank for it. ^{CT E/T/SC list}
Illinois: Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe has no Illinois rank for it. ^{IL E&T checklist 2025}
Massachusetts: Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe has no Massachusetts rank for it. ^{MESA list}
Ohio: Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe has no Ohio rank for it. ^{OAC 1501:18-1-03}
Oregon: Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe has no Oregon rank for it. ^{OAR 603-073-0070}
Pennsylvania: Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe has no Pennsylvania rank for it. ^{17 Pa. Code Ch. 45}

Washington

No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe has no Washington rank for it.

Rare elsewhere

No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 23, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNon-toxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Slender Deutzia” (Deutzia gracilis) lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating lots of any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records slender deutzia in 2 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Georgia, Maryland.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Slender deutzia a medium shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.0 to 7.0 and winter lows down to -23 °F.

Shade tolerance: Medium
Drought tolerance: Low
Moisture use: Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range: 5.0 to 7.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: -23 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 140
Annual precipitation range: 35 to 55 inches
Minimum root depth: 14 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Medium
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: · Spring to Summer
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, cuttings
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for DEGR3. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

More from the Hydrangeaceae family (9 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Wild hydrangea, Oakleaf hydrangea, Lewis' mock orange, Cliff fendlerbush, Sweet mock orange, Kanawao, Bigleaf hydrangea, Panicle hydrangea.

More Maryland flowers

Sweet mock orange

Philadelphus coronarius

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in Maryland gardens

Bigleaf hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla

🌷 Garden flower

🌷 Grown in Maryland gardens

Panicle hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in Maryland gardens

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile DEGR3.
iNaturalist, Deutzia gracilis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Wikipedia, Deutzia gracilis (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
State rare and invasive plant lists (28):
Show all 28 state lists
- Maryland: Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08).
- Maryland: Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List (COMAR 15.06.04.06; MDA, updated July 2026).
- Michigan: Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023).
- Michigan: Michigan prohibited and restricted species (NREPA Part 413 and the 2026 Invasive Species Order), as listed by Michigan's Invasive Species Program.
- Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
- Missouri: Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants.
- Missouri: Missouri noxious weed list (2 CSR 70-45.005).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- New Jersey: New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1).
- New Jersey: New Jersey prohibited invasive plant species (Invasive Species Management Act; propagation banned from Jan 1, 2027, sale from Jan 1, 2030).
- New York: New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3).
- New York: New York prohibited and regulated invasive species (6 NYCRR Part 575).
- Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
- Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
- Connecticut: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list).
- Connecticut: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d).
- Illinois: Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist.
- Illinois: Illinois Official List of Exotic Weeds (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1100.30, Illinois Exotic Weed Act).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90).
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR) (Text from MDAR's 2023 scientific-name PDF (mass.gov blocks automated downloads); 2024-2026 additions listed on the mass.gov page: Alnus glutinosa, Pyrus calleryana, Miscanthus sinensis, Aralia elata, Rhodotypos scandens, Symplocos paniculata.).
- Ohio: Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024).
- Ohio: Ohio invasive plant species (Ohio Adm. Code 901:5-30-01).
- Oregon: Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070).
- Oregon: Oregon noxious weed quarantine, A and B weeds (OAR 603-052-1200).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List (3 Pa.C.S. § 1519, PA Dept. of Agriculture) (PDA's page spells garlic mustard “Allaria petiolata”; we match it as Alliaria petiolata).
- Washington: Washington State noxious weed list (WAC 16-750-005, -011, -015).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 23, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Deutzia gracilis (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: Chris Reardon via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.