| Common Name: |
Sweet Paperbush |
| Scientific Name: |
Clethra alnifolia |
| Other Name(s): |
Aka Clethra, Summersweet, Sweet Pepper Bush, Coastal Sweet Pepperbush, Summer Sweet |
| Category: |
Shrub |
| Habit: |
Deciduous |
| Bloom Color: |
White |
| Bloom Size: |
Appear in narrow, upright panicles (racemes to 2-6 in. long). |
| Bloom Season: |
Mid to late summer |
| Fruit Description: |
Flowers give way to dark brown seed capsules (1/8 in. diameter) which may persist into winter |
| Fragrance: |
Sweetly fragrant |
| Foliage Description: |
Serrate, obovate to oblong, glossy dark green leaves (to 3-4 in. long) turn variable but generally attractive shades of yellow to golden brown in fall |
| Trunk Description: |
Mature stems have scaly, dark gray to brown black bark |
| Height of Plant: |
3-8 ft. |
| Spread of Plant: |
4-6 ft. |
| Hardiness: |
USDA Zones 3 - 9 |
| Light Requirements: |
Full sun to part shade |
| Water Usage: |
Medium to wet |
| Soil Type: |
Native to swampy woodlands, wet marshes, stream banks and seashores, often in sandy soils |
| Native Range: |
Along the coast from Maine to Florida and west to Texas |
| Propagation: |
Division, stolons and runners |
| Maintenance: |
Low |
| Photographer: |
Jon Wooten |
| Location: |
Native Plant Garden |