Description
Clethra alnifolia
CT RG DR P EcoR
Soil: Neutral to Acidic
Moisture: Average to Wet
Light: Full to Shade (prefers part sun)
Plant Height: 3 to 10 feet
Plant Width: 4 to 6 feet
Pests: None
Landscape Value: Good as a specimen planting or grouped along foundations and in shrub borders. Great for moist, low spots and naturalized areas along stream and pond edges. Excellent for coastal gardens due to tolerance of salt spray. Useful for erosion control.
Easy-to-grow, densely-branched shrub with glossy, dark green leaves that turn yellow to golden brown in the fall, and showy fragrant flower spikes. Upright, terminal clusters of sweet-smelling white flowers bloom in mid-to- late summer, giving way to dry, dark brown seed capsules that resemble peppercorns and persist into winter. Flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, especially bumblebees and honey bees. Spreads by root suckers to form colonies. Remove suckers unless allowing to naturalize and spreading is desired. Tolerates heavy shade, clay and moderately dry soils, and salt spray.
1 gallon pot, 18-24 inches tall
Photo credits:
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (photo by Julie Makin)
Missouri Botanical Garden
Native Plant Trust (photo by Bruce Patterson)
