SafePlants

No images found for this plant ID: 10802.

Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "10802" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.

Safe for Children?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Dogs?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Cats?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Reptiles?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

sweetpepperbush

Scientific Name: Clethra

Family: Clethraceae

Category: Dicot

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)

The sweet pepperbush, scientifically known as Clethra alnifolia, is also commonly called coastal sweetpepperbush or summersweet. Other common names include coastal pepperbush, alderleaf pepperbush, and Anne Bidwell. It's a deciduous shrub prized for its fragrant flowers and adaptability to various conditions.

Considerations for Pets

  • The plant is a shrub.

Considerations for Children

  • The plant is a shrub.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Clethra alnifolia
  • Genus: Clethra
  • Family: Clethraceae
  • Common Names: Sweet pepperbush, coastal sweetpepperbush, summersweet, coastal pepperbush, alderleaf pepperbush, Anne Bidwell

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to eastern North America, particularly the eastern Coastal Plain of the United States and southern Nova Scotia.
  • Commonly found in moist woodlands, swamps, and lakeshores, typically within 50 km (30 miles) of the coast.
  • It thrives in wet, shaded, or sunny locations.
  • Hardiness zones 3 to 9.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Deciduous shrub, typically growing to 1-3 meters (3-10 feet) tall, sometimes reaching 8 feet.
  • Spreading habit, forming thickets through root suckering.
  • Leaves are oval and mid-green, turning yellow in the fall.
  • Flowers are small (about 3mm wide), bell-shaped, fragrant, and white or pink in color.
  • Flowers bloom in dense, upright or drooping groups (racemes) during the summer (August to September).

Ecological Role

  • Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
  • Can form dense thickets in coastal swamps.
  • Used for erosion control due to its suckering growth habit.

Quirky Facts

  • Sweet pepperbush was named "Wildflower of the Year" in 2015.

Cultivars

  • Some known cultivars include 'Hummingbird', 'Paniculata', 'Pinkspire', and 'Rosea', 'Ruby Spice'.

Further Information

  • Information on the cultivar 'Paniculata' is available from the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society).
  • Toadshade Wildflower Farm and RareFind Nursery are mail-order nurseries that offer Clethra alnifolia.
  • Dave's Garden is a community forum where gardeners share tips and ideas.