Sweet Pepperbush

Clethra alnifolia (KLETH-rah al-nih-FOH-lee-ah)

Family: Clethraceae Native Shrub (3-15 ft)

Coastal sweet-pepperbush is a deciduous perennial shrub in the clethra family (Clethraceae). It is native to eastern North America, from Maine south to Florida and west to Texas. In the wild, it is often found in swamps, damp thickets, and sandy woods. The genus name is from the Greek name for the alder, klethra . The species epithet is Latin for “leaves like alder [ Alnus ].” It prefers moist, sometimes wet, acidic soil with organic material and tolerates short periods of drought and flooding once established. It tolerates full sun to partial shade, but will not tolerate a hot, dry site. Dormant plants are hardy to about -22 degrees F. When grown in conditions similar to its native habitat, it will produce suckers and eventually form small thickets. However, it responds well to pruning, which is best done in spring or winter. Keep in mind when pruning that coastal sweet-pepperbush flowers will appear on new growth. Coastal sweet-pepperbush has leaves that are alternate with a finely toothed margin and strong pinnate venation. Small, white flowers occurring in dense clusters on long 3- to 6-inch terminal spikes appear in late summer. The flowers produce high-quality nectar and pollen that support hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators. The shrub produces brown, dry capsules that mature in the fall and provide seed to birds during the winter. Coastal sweet-pepperbush is unique among flowering shrubs because it blooms in shady locations in late summer when few other shrubs are in bloom. It is a good bee plant, and the flowers are very aromatic. This shrub is often grown as a screen, or as a specimen, on in groupings as a border. Use it in a pollinator or butterfly garden, a native garden, a children’s, cottage or a sensory garden. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Spider mites may be a concern in dry conditions. Resistant to Phytophthora root rot. When planted in the proper site, it is insect- and disease-resistant. VIDEO: Part of the Native Plant Picks series from the North Carolina Sea Grant-led Coastal Landscapes Initiative . Additional video on Clethra alnifolia by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ Reconciled to full toolbox: matched by slug to slug 'clethra-alnifolia'. Identity (id/common/scientific name) preserved from the original 87-plant Hunnicutt set; attribute data refreshed from the 66-attribute toolbox scrape.