Botanical Name:

Clethra alnifolia

Common Name:

summersweet clethra, sweet pepperbush

Family Name:

summersweet clethra, sweet pepperbush

General Description:

Clethra alnifolia is native in the Gulf and Atlantic coastal plains primarily in acidic, wet, boggy habitats. In the landscape they are considered to be tolerant of a wide range of sun, shade, pH and moisture conditions. However, they perform best in the Chicago area in a well-mulched, moisture retentive soil, in a part shade condition where they are not exposed to the full afternoon sun. Clethra alnifolia is a lovely, four-season flowering shrub useful in mixed borders. The summer blooming flowers attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. There are several useful cultivar introductions mostly selected for flower qualities and plant size.

Zone:

4-9

Resources Consulted:

Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Champaign: Stipes, 2009. Print.

"The PLANTS Database." USDA, NRCS. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA, 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

Creator:

Julia Fitzpatrick-Cooper, Professor, College of DuPage

Creation Date:

2014

Keywords/Tags:

Clethra alnifolia, summersweet, clethra, sweet pepperbush, deciduous, shrub, flowering shrub, summer flowering shrub

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