Clethra alnifolia, commonly called summersweet, is a deciduous shrub that is native to swampy woodlands, wet marshes, stream banks and seashores, often in sandy soils, along the coast. It is a rounded, suckering, densely-branched, deciduous shrub that typically grows to 3-6’ tall and is noted for producing a mid to late summer bloom of sweetly fragrant white flowers which appear in narrow, upright panicles. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bees.
- Type: Deciduous shrub
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Native
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Zone: 3 to 9
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Height: 2-4 feet
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Spread: 3-5 feet
- Bloom Time: July to August
- Bloom Description: Creamy white
- Sun: Full sun to part shade
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Water: Medium to wet
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Maintenance: Low
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Suggested Use: Hedge, Naturalize, Rain Garden
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Flower: Showy, Fragrant
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Leaf: Good Fall
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Attracts: Butterflies, bees
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Fruit: Showy
- Tolerate: Heavy Shade, Erosion, Clay Soil, Wet Soil