Summersweets

Clethra alnifolia, or Summersweet ‘Ruby Spice’, is a fragrant, flowering shrub prized for its deep rose-pink flower spikes and sweet, clove-like scent. Blooming in mid to late summer, it fills the garden with fragrance while attracting bees and butterflies, making it an excellent pollinator-friendly choice. Its glossy green foliage turns a warm yellow in fall, adding multi-season interest.

This adaptable shrub thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well-draining soil, even tolerating wetter conditions. It’s a low maintenance, outdoor, and fragrant landscape plant perfect for borders, foundation plantings, or naturalized areas.

Summersweet ‘Hummingbird’
Clethra alnifolia, or ‘Hummingbird’ Summersweet, is a compact, highly fragrant shrub that produces dense spikes of creamy white flowers. Its sweet scent and nectar-rich blooms make it a magnet for pollinators, especially bees and hummingbirds. Its smaller size makes it perfect for tighter garden spaces or foundation plantings.

Thriving in partial shade to full sun, it prefers consistently moist soil and is highly adaptable. This variety is low maintenance, outdoor, and ideal for adding fragrance and wildlife appeal to any landscape.

Maintenance Tip:
Prune in late winter or early spring if needed, as it blooms on new wood. Keep soil consistently moist and mulch to retain moisture. Fertilize lightly in spring.