ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
Sugartina ® ' Crystalina ' summersweet(Clethra alnifolia)Photo by : Proven victor
Summersweet ( Clethra alnifolia ) is one garden works that really live up to its name , producing an teemingness of sweetly scented flower during the waning Day of summertime , when few other shrubs are in flush .
The flashy bottlebrush - same blossom cluster , some nearly a foot long , extend for workweek on terminal , attracting a steady parade of butterflies and bee with their seductive fragrance . Enhancing the prolific floral display are lustrous gullible leaves that change state bright fortunate - yellow in fall .
This sturdy aboriginal bush is also remarkably adaptable , allow nicety , soggy grease , and salty airwave , have it a worthful addition to woodland setting and coastal gardens .
On this page : Basics|Planting|Care|Summersweet Varieties|Landscaping Ideas
BASICS
Zones:
4 - 9
Plant type:
Deciduous shrub
Native area:
Eastern and southern North America
Exposure:
Full Lord’s Day to part wraith
Mature size:
Typically 3 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide-cut , with the exception of dwarf mixture
Growth rate:
tiresome
Bloom time:
Mid to recent summertime , with the flush lasting 4 to 6 weeks
Flower colors:
White , pinkish , or rose
Foliage:
Glossy , dark green , and oval - shaped , with serrated margins
Special attributes:
HOW TO PLANT SUMMERSWEET
When to plant:
plant life in give after the earth thawing or in early crepuscle before it freeze .
Where to plant:
Native to swampy forest and marshes , clethra flourish in wet ground and will even tolerate standing water system , make them a ripe choice for low - lie down areas of the garden . They will thrive in coastal areas as well because of their resistance to table salt spray and brackish water .
Ideally , set these shrubs in a spot that receive morning sun and good afternoon nicety . They will also do well in full sun as long as you keep the soil moist .
Soil:
Prefers moist , acidulent , sandy grunge but will also put up stiff dirt if it ’s amended with compost to improve drain .
How to plant:
drudge a cakehole that is at least doubly as wide as the root ball and just as deep . Place your shrub in the hole , lightly spreading out the solution , and then backfill to ground degree and water well . To get your industrial plant off to a estimable start , work some constituent matter into the soil and brood the root zone with a layer of mulch to assist keep the grime cool and moist .
Spacing:
About 4 to 6 feet apart , depend on the sizing at maturity and the mean use . To organize solid hedges , space plant a space equal to their mature width .
SUMMERSWEET CARE
Vanilla Spice ® summersweet ( Clethra alnifolia)Photo by : Proven Winners
Watering:
piss on a regular basis to keep the grunge moist , specially during the first growing time of year . Once the ancestor became found , summersweet bush is jolly drought tolerant , but avoid letting the soil dry out completely .
Fertilizing:
To jumpstart growth , give in other spring with aslow - release fertilizeror an all - purpose constituent works food .
Pruning:
Prune as need to maintain the hope material body and remove dead , pathological , and damaged branches . Because clethra bloom on new increment , prune during winter or early outpouring to avoid withdraw develop blossom bud .
Controlling spread:
Summersweet spreads slowly by suckering ancestor and will colonize over time . If you do n’t need your shrubs to naturalise , just trot away the sucker from the base of the plant to maintain a more courtly show .
Pests and diseases:
Has few insect or disease problems , with the exclusion ofspider mites , which are more unwashed when plants are stressed by hot , ironical conditions .
SUMMERSWEET VARIETIES
Photo by : Proven Winners
Vanilla Spice ® —Buy now from Proven succeeder
Height and spread:
3 to 6 foot tall , 3 to 5 foot wide
bear exceptionally declamatory , pure white flowers almost a groundwork in duration , nearly twice the size of other motley .
Sugartina ® ' Crystalina'—Buy now from Proven victor
2 to 3 feet tall & wide of the mark
A dwarf summersweet shrub with fragrant white flowers and a dense , rounded form . A good choice for smaller garden and tight spaces .
exposure by : Lana B / Shutterstock.com
' Hummingbird '
3 to 4 feet tall & wide
A succinct cultivar bearing prominent bunch of clove - scented white flowers that are irresistible to bee , butterfly , hummingbird , and other pollinators .
exposure by : Tim Ludwig / Millette Photomedia
' Sixteen standard candle '
4 to 5 feet magniloquent , 2 to 3 feet wide
Has a compact habit interchangeable to ‘ Hummingbird ’ but with hardy arm that hold the slender 6 - column inch flower spikes upright like candles rather than allow them to flop over .
Photo by : Jayhawk Explorer / Flickr
' Pink Spires ’
6 to 8 infantry tall , 4 to 6 feet wide
One of the largest summersweet cultivars , featuring rosebush - colour bud that gradually soften to blench pink as the flush open and matured . A all-encompassing , upright habit spend a penny it well - suited for use as a fragrant hedge or privacy covert .
exposure by : Nancy J. Ondra / Shutterstock
' Ruby Spice ’
4 to 6 metrical foot tall and wide-eyed
One of the darkest pink - flowered cultivars , flaunting bass rosy pink flowers notable for keep on their people of colour intensity without fade .
LANDSCAPING IDEAS
Because of its versatility and modest size of it , summersweet bush has a multitude of uses in both courtly and loose garden . Here are ideas for direct advantage of its many attributes :
