Description
Clethra – Summersweet – Sweet Pepperbush – White Alder –
There are about 60 species and evergreen small trees and shrubs, in this genus. They occur in woodland, swamps, and rocky places in Eastern Asia and North America, with one species from the island of Madeira. The leaves are alternate, simple, obovate to oblong, rarely lance shaped, finely to coarsely toothed, and mid to dak green. Some have attractive peeling bark. Clethras are grown for their fragrant, bell to cup shaped, white or yellowish white flowers, borne in racemes or panicles. Flowers are followed by numerous tiny seed capsules. They are suitable for a woodland garden or a mixed border.
Grow in acidic, fertile, humus rich, moist but well drained soil in partial or dapple shade.
Prone to fungal dieback and root rot.
C. acuminata – Cinnamon Clethra – White Alder – This medium sized, suckering shrub or small tree found from West Virginia to Alabama will grows 8-12′ feet tall and wide. It has cinnamon brown bark and alternate, elliptic to oblong, simple, lustrous dark green leaves, 3-6″ long which turn golden tones in autumn. In mid and late summer it bears long, solitary, terminal racemes, 3-8″ long, of fragrant creamy white flowers, 1/4″ across.
Zones 5-9
