Clethra alnifolia is known as a summer-flowering shrub that readily naturalizes in the border or makes a good foundation shrub. Summersweet Clethera is excellent for wet sites in partial shade.
Alternate common name: Sweet Pepperbush
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F E A T U R E S |
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Form
-medium-sized ornamental shrub
-maturing at about 6' tall x 5' wide, forming tight colonies with age (however, the increasingly predominant cultivar 'Hummingbird' is half this size)
-upright oval growth habit ('Hummingbird' has a spreading mound growth habit)
-slow growth rate |
Foliage
-medium to dark green, alternate, obovate, serrated, and somewhat late to leaf out
-autumn color is usually a clear golden-yellow and persists for 2-4 weeks |
Flowers
-white, shell pink, or light pink, blooming anytime from late July to early Sept. (usually in mid-Aug.), and lasting for about 3 weeks when in bloom
-inflorescences are fragrant, fine-textured, upright, about 4" long x 0.75" wide, and bottlebrush-like in appearance, attracting many butterflies and bees and a moderate quantity of hummingbirds
-inflorescences occur on the new growth of the current season |
Fruit
-fruiting stalks noticeable, winter persistent, and a good ID feature, but not ornamental |
Twig
-light brown to tan, ascending as several stems that are sparsely-branched at the base, but having numerous lateral shoots at the very apex of the new growth
-shrubs become leggy with age, and often die back at the apical stem tips in winter
-shrubs may become stoloniferous (suckering from the roots near the base of the stems) with maturity, forming tight colonies |
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Trunk
-not applicable |
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C U L T
U R E
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Culture
-full sun to full shade
-best performance occurs in partial sun to partial shade in moist to wet, acidic, fertile, organic soils, but it is rather adaptable to a wide range of conditions, including sunny sites, occasionally dry soils, soils of average fertility, soils of various pH, and winter salt spray
-cultivars are propagated by rooted cuttings, but the species form may also be propagated by seeds
-White Alder Family, with no significant diseases or pests
-often suckers with age to form tight colonies (which is good for naturalized situations)
-heavy pruning, to remove winter-killed wood, to promote compactness, or to rejuvenate, is easily accomplished without worry, as flowering occurs on the new growth of the current season |
Hardiness
-zones 3 to 9
Origin
-native to the Eastern U.S.
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U S A G E |
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Assets
-fragrant, fine-textured inflorescences occur in mid-summer and attract many butterflies
-tolerant of permanently moist to continuously wet sites
-winter salt spray tolerant
Liabilities
-legginess occurs with age
-root suckering with advanced age forms small colonies (this can be an asset if naturalization or moderate erosion control is desired) |
Function
-specimen, foundation, group planting, border, or naturalizing shrub
Texture
-medium texture in foliage and when bare
-thick density in foliage and average when bare |
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S E L
E C T I 0 N S |
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Varieties
and Cultivars
- Search
OSU PlantFacts for additional plants in this species
Alternates
-summer-flowering shrubs (Buddleia davidii, Caryopteris xclandonensis, Itea virginica, Hydrangea species, Philadelphus species, etc.)
-wet site tolerant shrubs (Cornus [shrub forms], Hamamelis vernalis, Itea virginica, Myrica pensylvanica, Salix purpurea, etc.)
-flowering shrubs for shady spots (Calycanthus floridus, Fothergilla gardenii, Hydrangea species, Itea virginica, Pieris japonica, Rhododendron [including Azaleas], etc.) |