I have clethra in sun here in Georgia and it does fine and flowers heavily. The plant belongs to one of only two genera in the Clethraceae (white alder) family, with Purdiaea being the other genus. Attracts butterflies. Houzz Pro: One simple solution for contractors and design pros, Its bottlebrush flowers attract bees and butterflies, while its stunning orange and scarlet foliage draws all who pass by, Personnaliser mon exprience l'aide de cookies, Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists, Tempe Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Redondo Beach Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Saint Louis Park Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Adrian Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures, Bonney Lake Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures, Wildomar Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures, Great Design Plant: Wildlife-Loving Dwarf Fothergilla Blazes in Fall. Has a compact habit similar to Hummingbird but with sturdier branches that hold the slender 6-inch flower spikes upright like candles rather than allowing them to flop over. Plant summersweet in an area that receives full sun to part shade. Deleting this collection CANNOT be undone. Typically grows 3-4' (less frequently to 5') tall with a similar spread. The first thing that occurs to me is that your plants are stressed in some way. You say to plant "around" the patio, does that mean you are looking at planting several? May be pruned after blooming if required. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. How to Take Care of Ruby Spice Summersweet - Home Guides My ilex cornuta shrubs (trees?) En cliquant sur Accepter , j'accepte l'utilisation des cookies telle qu'elle est dcrite plus en dtail dans la Politique d'Utilisation des Cookies de Houzz. Summersweet tolerates clay soil and full shade. You know a plant like Sugartina 'Crystalina' Summersweet that has two "sweet" words in its name must smell wonderful. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Lots of good points here on things to consider. It is also wet site tolerant. Also appropriate for moist soils along stream banks or pond/water garden peripheries. Summersweet (Sweet pepperbush): How to Grow and Care | Florgeous Shady conditions may limit the flower production and mute the autumn color. So, I'm only rating this plant as satisfactory. USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9. Virginia sweetspire grows best full sun but will tolerate part shade. I am a huge fan of Proven Winners and own a lot of their shrubs, perennials, and annuals, and they usually do not disappoint. As summer progresses shiny, disease-free foliage appears until fall when the foliage turns a stunning garnet-red. Some people would recommend using a fungicide to combat the leaf disease and horticultural oil or a similar scale-killing insecticide to deal with the bugs. Prefers part shade and consistently moist, acidic, sandy soils. It is a tough, dependable plant with three-season interest, especially in shady, wet sites. Warmer climates call for more shade. We also wanted a smaller variety that works with any size landscape, and outstanding fall color so that the plant stays interesting beyond its bloom time. I would another, If i had space for it. These may survive into winter in some climates. Sweetspire's dagger-like leaves will change from green to red and orange as they turn. Slow-growing summersweet's leaves are obovate and serrated, 1 1/2- to 4-inches long, and change from a glossy dark green in summer to yellow or brown in the fall. less likely to get leggy, bloom better) than the other. The only common problems that this shrub faces are spider mites. Its small stature makes it a nice choice for adding color and scent to perennial gardens. Plant in spring after the ground thaws or in early fall before it freezes. Summersweet is hard to transplant and slow to recover from transplanting. In fall, the leaves turn an attractive yellow. As low as $29.99 . The serrated, glossy, dark green foliage turns golden-yellow in fall. They bloomed in 2019 no fragrance detected. The flowers aren't just longer, larger, and more fragrant than other varieties - they're also more cold tolerant, assuring a good display even in USDA zone 5 where flower buds are frequently damaged. Although these bushes are considered plants tolerant of wet groundand clay soils, they will nonetheless perform best in well-drained soils. Great for grouping and for massing on large banks, in beds, and perennial and shrub borders. However, it might develop flea beetles or leaf spot. Use in a mixed border with other spring- and summer-blooming shrubs that like moist soils, such as. Noteworthy CharacteristicsA shorter cultivar selected for its sturdy branching system and large (up to 6 inches), upright, white flowering "candles". This Sugartina has fragrant white flowers that appear by mid-summer. A dwarf summersweet shrub with fragrant white flowers and a dense, rounded shape. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. In USDA growing zone 5a (the northern end of its range), a bush will likely experience several inches of winter dieback on the tops of the branches (they turn a tan color). The foliage is a nice bright green in summer. Sweet Pepperbush: A Fragrant Native Shrub - UMD When the seedling is robust, plant it in a small container and let it establish a root system. All Rights Reserved. I've bought 2 more to put a nice arc around my When the root system is well-established and trying to fight its way out of the container, it's time to plant it in the landscape. The species gets tall and rangy, so it is worth seeking out the cultivar . The flowers are produced on vertical flower spikes about 6 inches long that protrude from the glossy green foliage. Thrives in moist, wet areas, but once established, can tolerate dry conditions. Bears exceptionally large, pure white flowers almost a foot in length, nearly twice the size of other varieties. Houzz utilise des cookies et d'autres technologies de suivi similaires pour personnaliser mon exprience utilisateur, me proposer du contenu pertinent et amliorer ses produits et services. To reverse this problem, it's important to make the soil more acidic. . This compact selection reaches 3 to 5 feet tall. Get daily tips & tricks to help make your best home, How to Grow and Care for Japanese Barberry, How to Grow and Care for Mexican Bush Sage, How to Grow and Care for Kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium), How to Grow and Care for Chinese Snowball Viburnum, How to Grow and Care for Rockspray Cotoneaster, Summersweet, sweet pepperbush, clethra, coastal sweet pepperbush, poor man's soap. 'Little Henry' might work. Noteworthy Characteristics. Because of its versatility and modest size, summersweet bush has a multitude of uses in both formal and informal gardens. Summer Sparkler Summersweet | Plant Addicts Tolerates clay soils. PropagationSow seed at 43 to 54F in spring or autumn. Also only grows to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide, so it can be placed in almost any corner of the landscape without overcrowding other plants! Summersweet is tolerant of a range of garden conditions including shade . Sign up for a free trial and get access to ALL our regional content, plus the rest Bury the seed one inch in the soil and keep it moist. Plant near a patio to enjoy the fragrant late summer bloom. She has 30+ years of experience with year-round organic gardening; seed starting and saving; growing heirloom plants, perennials, and annuals; and sustainable and urban farming. Which would you recommend? Suggested Use: Hedge, Naturalize, Rain Garden, Tolerate: Heavy Shade, Erosion, Clay Soil, Wet Soil. I've seen some new growth in the month or so since planted. Top reasons to grow Scentlandia sweetspire: - More fragrant than other sweetspire varieties, - Better bud hardiness means better performance in USDA zones 5 and 6, - One of the most shade tolerant flowering shrubs. The Best Deer Resistant Plants for Your Garden We'll see how the plants perform Spring and Summer before making a final decision on the plants. On this page: Basics | Planting | Care | Summersweet Varieties | Landscaping Ideas, Typically 3 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, with the exception of dwarf varieties, Mid to late summer, with the blooms lasting 4 to 6 weeks, Glossy, dark green, and oval-shaped, with serrated margins. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. In spring, after new growth begins to emerge, you can remove any stems that aren't showing signs of life - do not prune until you see signs of new growth. It also attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. If so, and the site is suitable, maybe do a mixed planting. Choose Options. This was a big selling point for me and I would have chosen something else for the area of my garden where I was really looking forward to the scent. The shrub has a rounded habit and produces cylindrical drooping flowers (racemes) from late spring to mid-summer. Water regularly to keep the soil moist, especially during the first growing season. It will come back strong in the spring. Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' - Plant Finder - Missouri Botanical Garden How to Grow and Care for Summersweet - The Spruce Promptly remove root suckers unless naturalized look is desired. Such dieback in winter means the loss of some of the flower buds that produce blooms in spring. Water seedlings as needed, then plant when they're sturdy. The foliage is a nice bright green in summer. They will thrive in coastal areas as well because of their resistance to salt spray and brackish water. Mary has been a Master Gardener for 30+ years and a commercial and residential gardener for 50+ years. It enjoys, Promptly remove root suckers unless a naturalized look is desired. Then use a good potting medium and seed trays to germinate the plants indoors. The Garden wouldn't be the Garden without our Members, Donors and Volunteers. If I had more room in the garden I'd definitely buy more. You could also divide the plants if you'd like during the move. Merlot is named for its fall color which is dark red and persists into winter. Not sure which Clethra to pick?Compare All Clethra, Buy Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird' (Summersweet). Eventually, the leaves turn yellow and die. It is also a delightful addition to the mixed border. For a much larger shrub, go with Hollyleaf Sweetspire which can grow up to 12 feet high. My understanding is both summersweet and virginia sweetspire would be good potential candidates for this location, but was wondering if one would be better suited (i.e. It enjoys excellent resistance to insects and diseases. This is a good plant for woodland gardens or at the front of the mixed border. Effective as a hedge. I have a grouping of Little Henry Sweetspire right near my patio and love it. In June and July, sweetspire bears lovely spikes of fragrant, white blossoms. Summersweet spreads slowly by suckering roots and will colonize over time. Itea is one of the most shade tolerant flowering shrubs and thrives even in wet soils, making it an excellent problem solver. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Spring 2020, bloomed nicely but still no scent detected, even up close. Julie Thompson-Adolf is a Master Gardener and author. Plant Scentlandia itea near a window or outdoor area where you can enjoy its fragrance. Garden Uses: Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), also called summersweet, is a Maryland native plant found in forested wetlands, floodplains, and swamps. Mulch is a good idea. They can be planted immediately, or the following spring. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. And I'd also get rid of the surrounding mulch and bring in fresh mulch in case any scale eggs are lurking in last year's mulch. 'Ruby Spice' summersweet - FineGardening It will grow in full sun to full shade, and requires little pruning or other maintenance. In spite of the information that says it is not picky about pH conditions, it needs iron to do well in SE Wisconsin, where we have lime based soil. A good choice for smaller gardens and tight spaces. Purchased this plant in late April and over the past three months it has adapted well and had significant growth. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, Healthy Soil Is at the Heart of a Thriving Garden, Gardening Gift Ideas for Mothers Day 2023, 6 Fantastic Annuals to Grow From Seed in the Northwest, Lilacs: How to Grow Them and Favorite Varieties, Companion Planting for Successful Southern California Vegetable Gardens, Ready, Set, Spring!