Ruby Spice Summersweet is a densely branched deciduous shrub native to the South. Its glossy dark green leaves have attractive shades of yellow to golden brown in fall. Sweetly fragrant rosy-pink flower spikes bloom late summer and give way to brown seedpods that last to winter. Prefers part sun and acidic, moist, well-drained soil.
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Type:
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Shrub
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Origins:
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Eastern N. America Coasts; GA Native
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Height:
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4’ - 6’
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Spread:
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3’ - 5'
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Spacing:
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4’
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USDA Hardiness Zone:
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4 - 8
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Culture:
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Full Sun, Part Sun
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Bloom Color:
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Pink
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Season of Interest:
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Summer, Fall
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MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low Maintenance. Do not let soils dry out. Promptly remove suckers unless naturalization is desired. Spider mites may be a concern in drier conditions.
LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Native Gardens, Hedges, and Containers.
COMPANION PLANTS: Aster, Weigela, Coneflower
IMAGE: Photoset by F. D. Richards, (1) Summersweet 'Ruby Spice', (2) Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice', 2016 , (3) Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' (Summersweet) Photo by F.D.Richards, SE Michigan, 8/2020, (4) Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' 2014
*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown
