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Clethra alnifolia

Summersweet

Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet)

Highly fragrant. One shrub will perfume the entire garden with a spicy-sweet fragrance that is especially noticeable in the evening. In mid-summer, dramatic four to six inch, fluffy flower spikes attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Dark brown seed capsules, resembling peppercorns, follow in fall and remain until spring, attracting birds through the winter.

Additional Information:

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Height
5-6 Feet

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Spread
4-5 Feet

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Bloom/Seasonal Color
Deep Pink / Rose


USDA Hardiness Zone 4 - 9

Home Owner Growing and Maintenance Tips:
Grows naturally in moist, partially shaded places usually at the edge of a woodland, often in large masses along a stream. However, Clethra will also perform handsomely in a broad range of conditions: full sun with adequate moisture, dry shade - the most difficult of all gardening conditions, even bog-like conditions. Summersweet will exist, but perform poorly, in full sunny, dry places.

Good Companions
Wild Sweet William (Phlox divaricata), Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense), Goat's Beard (Aruncus dioicus)

Characteristics & Attributes

Nature Attracting

Hummingbird
Beneficial Insects
Songbird
Butterfly

Root

Stolons

Season of Interest

Mid (May-June)

Soil Moisture

Moderate

Special Uses

Fragrant

Sun Exposure

Medium Sun/Average Shade

Wildlife Benefit

Food/Birds
Butterfly Nectar
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