Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
Summersweet is a deciduous shrub that is very adaptable and provides a burst of color later in the season. The deep pink flowers grow in clusters and retain their saturated hue for a dependable pop of color throughout the growing season. Clethra alnifolia blooms during July and August, and the plant also features glossy green oval-shaped foliage that comes to a point and has slightly serrated edges.
This is an upright, mounded plant with woody stems, making it a wonderful hedge or specimen. As a North American native, Summersweet is easy to maintain. The fragrant flowers will draw pollinators, like bees and butterflies, to your landscape, and once the flowers fade, they are replaced with small fruit that birds will feed on. This beauty is deer-resistant, so the greenery and foliage will stay in place even in areas with increased animal populations. Ruby Spice Summersweet is a perennial in USDA zones 4 through 9.
Ruby Spice Summersweet Care
Summersweet can grow in full sun or part shade, and this stunner will continue to push out plenty of beautiful blooms even when grown in lower light. This plant can handle just about any pH level, but it will grow best in acidic soil. The soil should also be moist or well-drained. Keep the soil consistently damp (not saturated), and water before it dries out.
Fertilize using a slow-release plant food during the early spring. You can deadhead the plant to give it a clean look or leave the flowers, which will attract birds.
Ruby Spice Summersweet Spacing
This is an upright, mounded shrub that will grow 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. Ruby Spice Summersweet plants can be spaced as close as 2 to 3 feet to create a hedge.
Ruby Spice Summersweet Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 4 to 9 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Part Shade to Full Sun (3+ Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 4-6 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 4-6 Feet
- Growth Rate
- Moderate
- Growth Habit
- , Upright, Mounded
- Water Needs
- Consistently Moist
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , Pink
- Flower Description
- Deep Rose Pink
- Bloom Time
- Mid to Late Summer
- Blooms On
-
New Wood
?
"Blooms on" tells you which stems produce flowers, which decides when it's safe to prune.
- New Wood: Flowers form on stems that grow this season. Prune in late winter or early spring without losing blooms.
- Old Wood: Flower buds form on last year's stems. Prune right after flowering. Pruning in fall or early spring removes next year's blooms.
- Both New and Old Wood: Blooms on last year's stems and again on new growth, so it flowers even after a hard winter or a mistimed pruning. Prune lightly after the first flush of blooms.
- When to Prune
- Late winter to early spring, before new growth starts
- Foliage Color
- , Green, Yellow
- Foliage Description
- Green
- Foliage Type
- , Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest
- , Summer Flowering, Fall Flowering, 3 Season Interest, Fall Interest
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Ruby Spice Summersweet
- Botanical Name
- CLETHRA ALNIFOLIA 'RUBY SPICE'
- Plant Type
- Shrub
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
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Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!