A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Summersweet: Tips and Tricks for a Flourishing Garden Additions

Summersweet is a native North American shrub that showcases fragrant white flowers marking the end of summer. It blooms from August to fall, and its yellow foliage adds color to any garden or landscape. Summersweet attracts hummingbirds and butterflies but repels deer, making it ideal for areas with a high deer population. This shrub is also known as sweet pepperbush and belongs to the Clethra alnifolia genus. It is a low-maintenance plant that can grow in part sun or full sun, ranging from 2 to 8 feet in height and 2 to 6 feet in width. The shrub has pink or white flowers and thrives in zones 3 to 9. Summersweet requires evenly moist soil, making it suitable for planting in partial shade while avoiding hot and dry locations. Slightly acidic to neutral soil pH is ideal. The shrub can be used as a hedge, specimen, or perennial planting bed, depending on your preference. When planting in spring, dig a hole at least twice the size of the root ball, place the shrub in the hole, backfill with original soil, and water well. Summersweet requires minimal care, including planting in full sun or partial shade, regular watering during the first growing season, as well as deep watering during drought periods. Fertilization, pruning, and winterizing pots are optional and should be done with care. Summersweet can be propagated from softwood cuttings or seed. Several varieties of summersweet exist, including Hummingbird, Ruby Spice, and Sixteen Candles. Companion plants for summersweet include Ninebark, Dogwood, and Purple Coneflower, which add variety and interest to any landscape.