{"product_id":"hummingbird-summersweet","title":"Hummingbird Summersweet","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"pd-title-head\"\u003e\n  \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eClethra alnifolia\u003c\/em\u003e 'Hummingbird'\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOverview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pollinator gardens, damp and low-lying beds, woodland edges, shaded foundation plantings, mass plantings along paths where fragrance carries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenefits:\u003c\/strong\u003e Powerfully fragrant white bottlebrush spikes in the depths of midsummer when most shrubs have long finished, a compact frame roughly half the size of the species, and clean golden fall foliage even in shade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4–9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full Sun, Partial Sun\/Shade\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLife Cycle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deciduous Shrub\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mounding, Spreading — compact dome that slowly suckers into a colony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e White\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Green, maturing to Golden Yellow in fall\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Height:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2–4 feet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Width:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3–5 feet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mid to late summer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Slow to Moderate\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSummary\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYou will smell this shrub before you see it, which in July is not something many plants can offer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Hummingbird' is a compact selection of our native summersweet, and its timing is the whole point. The upright white bottlebrush spikes open in mid to late summer, weeks after the spring shrub season has closed out and at the moment when shaded beds are usually running on foliage alone. The fragrance is genuinely strong — sweet and spicy, carrying ten or fifteen feet on a still evening — which is why it belongs near a walkway, a patio, or an open window rather than at the back of a border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhere the straight species can reach six to eight feet and get leggy, this form holds a dense dome under four feet. That size difference is what makes it usable in a foundation bed or a small shaded courtyard without annual hard pruning. It suckers gently at the base and will form a low colony over time, but it does so slowly enough to stay manageable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBloom is followed by dark seed capsules that persist through winter, and the foliage turns a clear golden yellow in fall — unusual for a shrub that performs this well in shade, where most plants give you nothing in October. Bees and butterflies work the flowers heavily; it is one of the more valuable late-season nectar sources available in a shade-tolerant shrub.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHummingbird Summersweet Care\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in full sun to partial shade. Partial shade is generally the better choice — it produces a fuller plant and keeps the soil cooler and more evenly moist, which this shrub cares about more than it cares about light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSoil should be moisture-retentive and slightly acidic. Summersweet grows naturally in damp woods and along pond margins and handles wet feet without complaint. It does not handle prolonged drought, alkaline soil, or hot dry exposure, so avoid unirrigated sites in full afternoon sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater regularly, especially during establishment and midsummer heat. Leaf scorch along the margins is the usual signal that the plant has gone too dry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFertilize lightly if at all. A spring application of a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/slow-release-fertilizer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eslow release fertilizer\u003c\/a\u003e is sufficient in poor or sandy soil. Acid-forming products suit it well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrune in late winter or early spring — the plant blooms on new wood, so a spring cutback does not cost you flowers. Remove any weak or crossing stems and thin suckers to control spread. Clethra leafs out notably late in spring; do not assume winter damage before mid-May.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSize\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat Size is the Hummingbird Summersweet for Sale Online?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur Hummingbird Summersweet ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/pages\/contact\" title=\"Contact Almanac Planting Co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003econtact us\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow Large Does Hummingbird Summersweet Grow?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExpect a dense mound roughly 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. Growth is slow to moderate, and the plant tends to widen more than it heightens as it matures. Space 3 feet apart for a connected drift, or 4 to 5 feet to keep individual plants distinct.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAdditional Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are some common names for this plant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe most widely used names for this plant are:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSummersweet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSweet Pepperbush\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCoastal Sweetpepper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll three refer to the same species, \u003cem\u003eClethra alnifolia\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow is 'Hummingbird' different from regular summersweet?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a dwarf selection. The straight species commonly reaches six to eight feet and can look sparse at the base; 'Hummingbird' stays under four feet with a much denser, more rounded habit while keeping the same flower size and fragrance. That makes it far easier to place in a foundation bed or a small garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it actually attract hummingbirds?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe name refers to the cultivar rather than a guarantee, but the flowers do draw hummingbirds along with heavy bee and butterfly traffic. As a midsummer nectar source in shade it is one of the more productive shrubs available. Other options are collected in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/native-plants\"\u003eNative Plants of North America\u003c\/a\u003e selection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill deer eat it?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSummersweet is among the more reliably deer-resistant native shrubs and is typically passed over even in areas with real browse pressure. More options along the same lines are in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/deer-resistant-shrubs-evergreens\"\u003edeer-resistant shrubs and evergreens\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy is my plant still bare in spring?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eClethra breaks dormancy late — often several weeks after surrounding shrubs have leafed out. A plant that looks dead in April is usually just on its own schedule. Scratch a stem lightly; green underneath means it is fine.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Almanac Planting Co","offers":[{"title":"3 Gallon \/ Fall '26 Pre-Order","offer_id":47492631134370,"sku":"PN-summersweet-3-1yr","price":79.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0586\/9374\/6850\/files\/HummingbirdSummersweet2.jpg?v=1785940964","url":"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/hummingbird-summersweet","provider":"Almanac Planting Co","version":"1.0","type":"link"}