Summersweet Shrub

SUMMERSWEET CARE Water regularly to keep the soil moist, especially during the first growing season. Once the roots became established, summersweet bush is somewhat drought tolerant, but avoid letting the soil dry out completely.

Is summersweet an evergreen?

Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird' (Summersweet) is a gorgeous, compact, slowly spreading, deciduous shrub that features bottlebrush spikes of extremely fragrant white flowers which bloom for 4-6 weeks in mid to late summer.

Is summersweet shrub invasive?

This shrub is beautiful when it is blooming, and it keeps a compact form if pruned every fall after blooming. But it is very invasive.

Can you keep summersweet small?

Summersweet is a slow growing deciduous shrub that is hardy in zones 4 to 9. It may be necessary to control the plant's suckering habit or prune it to shape. Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring.

Do you cut back summersweet?

Pruning should be done in early spring before leafing out. Crossing, winter killed, badly formed or damaged branches should be removed back to a main branch, some shaping can be done as well. This plant blooms on new wood so you can “go nuts” if that is prudent. This plant grows and develops best in acidic soil.

How big does Summersweet bush get?

Summersweet clethra typically grow from 5 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. Cinnamon clethra (Clethra acuminata) is also a native clethra and grows over the Appalachian mountain range. It has long racemes of ivory white flowers, and grows to 6 to 10 feet tall and wide.

Does summersweet attract hummingbirds?

It's easy to see why this Summersweet is called the “Hummingbird”. The snow-white flowers are an important summer source of nectar to critical pollinators, and attract spades of both butterflies and hummingbirds.

How much sun does summersweet need?

The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours).

Should I deadhead summersweet?

"Hummingbird" summersweet blooms for four to six weeks, but does not tend to rebloom when deadheaded. Removing spent flowers would also eliminate the attractive dark brown seed capsules that provide winter interest.

Are hummingbirds native summersweet?

'Hummingbird' is a popular Summersweet cultivar because it is more compact and more floriferous than the species. A dependable shrub that is native from coastal Maine south to north Florida and then west to the eastern edge of Texas.

Should you cut back Clethra?

Clethra do not require pruning, however respond very well to it. Since Clethra bloom on new growth, pruning can be done during winter or early spring without effecting the summer bloom. Pruning is a good way to rejuvenate the shrub following a harsh of winter.

Is there a dwarf summersweet?

This dwarf summersweet has very fragrant pure white flowers that attract butterflies in mid-summer. It has dark glossy foliage and holds its tight dense shape without pruning. The dark green foliage turns yellow in fall. An excellent native plant for the home landscape.

What does summersweet smell like?

Fitting of its name, Summersweet Clethra's blooms produce a sweet smell that is reminiscent of honeysuckle. It will grow well in almost any exposure although cold and snowy winters can be tough.

Will summersweet grow in shade?

Native to swampy woodlands, summersweet is easy to grow in average to wet soil in full sun or part shade. It tolerates consistently moist soil—sandy or clay—with ease. It will grow in full shade but tends to have an open and loose habit.

What can I plant with summersweet?

Ferns and the grass-like sedges are great companions since both plants thrive in partial shade; many are native. Astilbe, though not native, also likes similar conditions and late-blooming selections would overlap the Summersweet blooms.

What does a Summersweet Bush look like?

Summersweet plant (Clethra alnifolia), also known as pepper bush, is an ornamental shrub with spikes of spicy-smelling white flowers. Blooming often takes place in summer around July or August. Its attractive dark green foliage takes on a yellow-to-orange color in autumn, making this plant even more spectacular.

Is Sweetspire the same as summersweet?

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea) Also named for sweetly fragrant flowers (though milder than Sumersweet), this shrub blooms in late spring with drooping white spires that draw a lot of pollinators.

Is Summersweet Clethra deer resistant?

While summersweet loves to get its feet wet and is ideal for a rain garden, it can also tolerate average soil like a champion. Along with these amenable credentials, Clethra is deer resistant and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds with its fragrant flowers.

Does sweet shrub spread?

It colonizes, but growth and spreading is slow. It requires very little pruning, done immediately after flowering to shape or maintain compactness. Sweetshrub is a wonderful choice because of its adaptability to many soil, water, and light conditions.

Will deer eat summersweet?

A native shrub that is rarely browsed by deer is Clethra alnifolia, (Sweet Pepperbush or Summersweet). Sweet pepperbush is a non-demanding deciduous shrub with many attractive attributes besides its unpopularity with deer.