Clethra alnifolia
Summersweet
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Summersweet is a multi-branched deciduous shrub with dark green, aromatic leaves. It is one of the few summer-flowering shrubs that will bloom in...
Description:
Summersweet is a multi-branched deciduous shrub with dark green, aromatic leaves. It is one of the few summer-flowering shrubs that will bloom in shade. The sweetly fragrant, white flowers bloom in upright clusters on the tips of stems, July-August. The flowers are followed by dark brown seeds that resemble peppercorns and persist through the winter. Butterflies, hummingbirds, native bees, and honey bees value the nectar, and birds and other wildlife eat the seeds. Use this versatile, attractive, wildlife-friendly shrub in borders, foundation plantings, rain gardens, wildlife gardens, and along edges of ponds or other water features.
Plant Details:
Other Common Names: Coastal Sweet Pepperbush, Clethra
Plant Type: Shrub
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Summer
Bloom Colors: White
Deer Resistance: Some
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Bees and Other Pollinators, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Birds
Salt Tolerance: Low to None
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Barrier Island/Coastal, Pinelands
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist
Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Partial Shade
Light Range: Full Sun, Partial Shade, Shade
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist
Drought Tolerance: Low
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 4 - 8 ft
Spread: 4 - 6 ft
Growth Rate: Medium