'Ruby Spice' - Clethra

Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' — Summersweet

Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' delivers the deepest pink flowers of any summersweet selection, opening from rich red buds into rose-pink bottlebrush spikes that hold their saturated color throughout the bloom period rather than fading to washed-out pastels. Those upright, 3- to 4-inch panicles arrive in mid to late summer — a time when very few other flowering shrubs are putting on a show — and fill the garden with the intensely sweet, honey-like fragrance that makes this genus so beloved. Glossy, dark green foliage provides a handsome backdrop to the blooms all season long, then turns warm shades of yellow to golden brown in autumn. This densely branched, rounded deciduous shrub matures at 4 to 6 feet tall with a 3- to 5-foot spread, more compact and less aggressive than its parent 'Pink Spire.'

As an eastern U.S. native naturally found in coastal wetlands, floodplains, and sandy woodlands from Maine to Florida and west to Texas, 'Ruby Spice' thrives in moist to wet, acidic soils but proves remarkably adaptable, tolerating clay, periodic drought, and even salt spray. It performs well in full sun to partial shade — flowering is heaviest in sun with consistent moisture, while some afternoon shade produces deeper green, more lush foliage. Hardy in USDA Zones 4 through 9, it blooms on current season's growth, so late-winter or early-spring pruning keeps it tidy without sacrificing flowers. Plant it in mixed shrub borders, rain gardens, woodland edges, foundation plantings, or along streams and ponds where its prolific blooms will draw butterflies, native bees, bumblebees, and hummingbirds in abundance. It is reported deer resistant and shows excellent resistance to insects and diseases.

General care for any tree or shrub is easy, but like any living thing will require your attention. Please educate yourself and follow these simple rules.