ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
Sugartina ® ' Crystalina ' summersweet(Clethra alnifolia)Photo by : Proven Winners
Summersweet ( Clethra alnifolia ) is one garden plant that truly live up to its name , bring about an teemingness of sweetly scented blossom during the waning days of summer , when few other shrubs are in bloom .
The showy bottlebrush - like flower clump , some virtually a foot long , continue for weeks on end , appeal a firm parade of butterfly and bee with their seductive fragrance . Enhancing the prolific flowered exhibit are lustrous green leaves that turn superb golden - yellow in fall .
This hardy aboriginal bush is also signally adaptable , tolerating tad , soggy soil , and piquant aura , make it a worthful addition to woodland setting and coastal garden .
On this page : Basics|Planting|Care|Summersweet Varieties|Landscaping idea
BASICS
Zones:
4 - 9
Plant type:
Deciduous shrub
Native area:
easterly and southern North America
Exposure:
Full sun to part nicety
Mature size:
Typically 3 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide , with the exception of gnome varieties
Growth rate:
Slow
Bloom time:
Mid to late summer , with the bloom last 4 to 6 weeks
Flower colors:
White , pink , or rose
Foliage:
sheeny , glum green , and oval - work , with serrated gross profit margin
Special attributes:
HOW TO PLANT SUMMERSWEET
When to plant:
plant life in spring after the ground thaws or in early downslope before it freezes .
Where to plant:
Native to swampy timberland and marshes , clethra flourish in wet ground and will even tolerate stand urine , make them a good option for low - lying areas of the garden . They will thrive in coastal areas as well because of their opposition to saltiness spraying and brackish water .
Ideally , plant these bush in a spot that receives morning sun and good afternoon shade . They will also do well in full Dominicus as long as you keep the grunge moist .
Soil:
Prefers moist , acidic , sandlike grunge but will also tolerate clay dirt if it ’s amended with compost to improve drain .
How to plant:
jab a hole that is at least doubly as blanket as the solution ball and just as deep . rate your bush in the hole , mildly spread out out the beginning , and then backfill to ground level and piddle well . To get your industrial plant off to a good start , work some constituent matter into the soil and cover the root zone with a layer of mulch to help keep the soil cool and moist .
Spacing:
About 4 to 6 feet apart , depending on the size of it at maturity and the intended use . To form solid hedges , space plants a space equal to their mature width .
SUMMERSWEET CARE
Vanilla Spice ® summersweet ( Clethra alnifolia)Photo by : Proven Winners
Watering:
weewee regularly to keep the soil moist , especially during the first growing time of year . Once the root became established , summersweet bush is somewhat drought tolerant , but avoid letting the grime dry out completely .
Fertilizing:
To jumpstart outgrowth , feed in early spring with aslow - handout fertilizeror an all - purpose constituent plant life food .
Pruning:
Prune as needed to maintain the trust shape and take away dead , diseased , and damage arm . Because clethra bloom on young growth , prune during winter or former outpouring to avoid removing developing flush bud .
Controlling spread:
Summersweet spreads slowly by suckering origin and will colonize over fourth dimension . If you do n’t need your shrubs to naturalize , simply clip away the suckers from the base of the plant life to observe a more formal show .
Pests and diseases:
Has few worm or disease problems , with the exception ofspider hint , which are more vulgar when flora are stressed by raging , dry condition .
SUMMERSWEET VARIETIES
Photo by : Proven victor
Vanilla Spice ® —Buy now from Proven Winners
Height and spread:
3 to 6 feet improbable , 3 to 5 feet wide
Bears exceptionally prominent , pure white heyday almost a metrical unit in length , almost twice the size of other mixed bag .
Sugartina ® ' Crystalina'—Buy now from Proven Winners
2 to 3 feet improbable & all-inclusive
A dwarf summersweet shrub with fragrant lily-white heyday and a impenetrable , rounded frame . A in effect choice for little gardens and plastered distance .
Photo by : Lana B / Shutterstock.com
' Hummingbird '
3 to 4 feet marvellous & all-encompassing
A stocky cultivar stomach large clusters of clove tree - scented white bloom that are irresistible to bee , butterflies , hummingbird , and other pollinator .
Photo by : Tim Ludwig / Millette Photomedia
' Sixteen standard candle '
4 to 5 feet marvellous , 2 to 3 foundation all-embracing
Has a compact habit interchangeable to ‘ Hummingbird ’ but with uncompromising branches that hold the slim 6 - in blossom spike upright like candle rather than allowing them to flop over .
picture by : Jayhawk Explorer / Flickr
' Pink Spires ’
6 to 8 fundament marvelous , 4 to 6 feet wide
One of the largest summersweet cultivars , featuring rose - colored bud that gradually soften to pale pink as the flowers candid and mature . A broad , just habit makes it well - suited for use as a fragrant hedge or seclusion screenland .
Photo by : Nancy J. Ondra / Shutterstock
' Ruby Spice ’
4 to 6 feet tall and full
One of the darkest pink - blossom cultivar , flash deep rosy pink flowers notable for retaining their coloring strength without fade .
LANDSCAPING IDEAS
Because of its versatility and modest size , summersweet bush has a plurality of use in both formal and loose gardens . Here are ideas for taking advantage of its many attributes :
