Invasive? I just did a search putting itea virginiana invasive into the search engine. Each site I hit on said it was an alternative for an invasive species, not that it was an invasive. Could you provide a link that talks about it being invasive please?

Well, it's not invasive, but given the right conditions (part-sun with plenty of moisture) will sucker and form colony pretty fast.
It will not be attractive to butterflies since it blooms in early June, stays pretty much undescript whole summer after the bloom and then you have a spectacular show of yellow-orange-red-maroon leaves in a fall.
There are some dwarf(ish) cultivars, like Little Henry that grow to 3-4' tall and full size one that could be anywhere between 5 to 7' tall
BTW, correct name is Itea virginica.

Beautyberry (callicarpa) could become a very large shrub.
Callicarpa dichotoma is probably the smallest one and grow to 4x4 or 5x5, while our native callicarpa americana easily could be a 10' shrub.
My callicarpa bodinieri 'Profusion' approaching that size too after being in a ground for 3 years only.

The info came from _North Carolina Gardener's Guide_ Revised edition by Toby Bost. The sentence is:

"The Chinese Sweetspire spreads rapidly by suckers that may need root-pruning, Virginia Sweetspire is better behaved."

Ok, the Virginia Sweetspire is better behaved, but is it well behaved? In this planting area I'm trying to get rid of something I planted (some type of wildflower grass I lost the tag to) that took over. It's been my penance this year getting it out. So I don't want something that will take over.

Thanks for the correction on name, I didn't have the book in front of me when I wrote the question last night.

The info I have on Purple beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma) from ces.ncsu.edu says 3-4 ft height, 4-5 ft width. This shrub isn't in the book listed above.

MC

I have Callicarpa dichotoma 'Issai' and though I cut it to the ground every spring, it gets at least 5 feet tall and as wide each year. While the amazing fuchsia berries are spectacular, they don't last very long--frosts get them. I think the berries last longer on the new cultivar--'Early Amethyst' is the name, I think--because they berries come on earlier in the season. The flowers are not much to speak of, and are not pollinated by butterflies.

Perhaps one of the Nanho Buddleias would work for you if there isn't too much shade. They are much smaller than the full sized ones.

A buddleia is a butterfly bush? I have a purple butterfly bush by my dining room window. I prune it back most years to the ground and it grows to the 5-6 ft. range.

The beautyberry sounded similar in upkeep and it's a level I can handle.

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

MC

Take a look at Clethra for good butterfly attraction and the scent is light and pleasing.