Vanilla Spice® Summersweet (Clethra)
Shrub
- Extra large white flowers with amazing fragrance!
- Glossy green foliage turns bright yellow in fall.
- One of the best native shrubs for shade.
- Deer-resistant & easy to grow addition to the garden.
- Zones 4-9, sun/part sun/shade, 6′ tall x 5' wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent: USPP 21589
Common name: Summersweet, Clethra
Zone: 4 - 9
Sun exposure: Full (6+ hrs/day) to part shade
Height x width: 3-6' tall and wide
Flower color: White
Foliage color: Glossy green
Season of Interest: Summer-fall
Bloom time: Summer
Features: Wet soils, Proven Winners, native, low flammability, heat tolerant, fragrant, fall color, deer resistant, cold tolerant
Uses: Specimen, flower gardens, backdrop, landscaping, pollinator gardens, wildlife gardens, native plant gardens
How to Grow
Light: Full sun (6+ hrs/day) to part shade (4-6 hrs sun/day) to to shade (<4 hours direct sun/day). Can grow in deeper shade but flowering and fall color will not be as intense.
Water: Moderate to wet
Space: Min. 3' apart
Fertilizing: Little fertilizer is needed.
Winterizing: No special treatment is required. A 2-3" layer of shredded bark mulch is recommended.
Maintenance: No special care is required. Trim as needed in early spring.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
2nd time around with replacement from first one...9s
So far so good. more green than brown. Been in the ground about 4 week. Been giving her lotsa water. Been 90+ degrees all this week. Giving her some shade. Thank you so much
I really wished that this plant survived. The first plant died within the first few days of receiving it. The second one survived for two weeks.
Hello! We're sorry to hear about your plants. Please email pictures of the plant to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we do have a 60-day guarantee on all of our plants. If you received your plants within that timeframe, we will be happy to apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!
Good condition upon arrival. So far it's living
I’ve ordered a few times and plants always arrive healthy and quickly. These are doing well and even better once I put them in the ground.
Awesome condition when received, can't wait for it to grow up
Still just recently planted but coming along nicely and looking forward to seeing them in full bloom
Shrub arrived in great condition. I planted it and it has thrived, leafing out and healthy.
Plants arrived in great condition. Packed well. Are happily growing in my garden.
Arrived in great condition!
These plants were smaller than I expected when I initially received them. But after planting them and watering as much as possible, they are starting to get bigger already! Very happy with my purchase.
Planted them immediately, but they did not survive.
I am sorry about to hear about your plants. Please email pictures of any plant in question to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible.
The Vanilla Spice Sweet Shrub is looking healthy and growing strong.
No buds yet.
Leaves have died, branches have budded for several weeks, I'm waiting for the buds to open up..
Hello! We're sorry to hear that you're having some trouble with your new plant. We'd be happy to help you figure out what is happening. Please email a photo of the plant to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we do have a 60-day guarantee on all of our plants. Happy Gardening!
The summersweet arrived on schedule and pruned back nicely. Within three weeks it has leafed out at looks awesome. 100% survival rate.
I ordered seven different plants, three types in the seven, including three clethra. All plants were unpacked immediately and appeared in good condition, but the clethra began showing severe signs of rot within 24 hours of arrival. I was told it was shipping damage, though they didn't appear damaged on arrival, and to get them in the ground as soon as possible, so they could bounce back. While other plants in the order did well in the ground, the clethra never thrived and none survived the winter.
Hi Kimberly - Sorry to hear about the plants. The warranty is good until May 31, 2022, please send pictures of the dead plants to [email protected] and we will gladly send replacements this spring.
I would of given them a 5 star review but one of the three plants I received is not doing well. Two are thriving with lots of new growth while the third is not dying but it is not thriving either. No new growth to speak and looks a little tired. I hope it does beter with time. I have already gotten positive complements on the new plants.
I cannot believe how well my new bushes are doing here. They are supposed to be moderate growers but they are now triple the size they were when shipped. Very healthy plants.
They arrived really healthy and started to grow quickly. There not completely deer resistant but they rebound well
The Catmint arrived in perfect condition and I planted it right away. It is growing, and looks very healthy! No purple blooms yet… but it’s early days. As healthy as the plant looks, I’m sure blooms will follow!
I received 3 of these and I was really impressed at the size and health of the plants as they made it all the way to Texas. The packaging is really well thought out. Great job.
Vanilla Spice® Summersweet
Thanks for your review, let us know if you have any questions or concerns about your plant. We're here to help!
Can I place this between 2 young Milkweed plants?
Vanilla Spice® Summersweet reaches a mature size 6 feet tall and 5 wide so you'll want to space it at least 3 feet away from any other plants.
How long does it take to full size? I live in Athens , Ga. We really are zone 7b not 8. ( it has gotten very cold here & zone 8 plants die.)
Vanilla Spice® Summersweet's growth rate is slow. How fast a plant will grow will also depend on the plant care you provide it. Most shrubs will reach their mature size within 5-8 years.
Where is the chart to determine what zone I'm in for planting?
Hi! Your growing zone can be determined by your zip code. Follow the link below to fill in your zip code:
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/shopping-by-zone
Does this stay green year round?
Hi! No, this is not evergreen and it will lose its leaves in winter, even in mild climates.
I live in Bronx, NY, in the most north western part of the city along the Hudson River. Generally I am told that I am in zone 5. I'm interested in the vanilla spice summersweet shrub to plant in front of a brick chimney on the north side of my house. It is in shade but not deep shade. I have coral bells in pots and shade compatible grasses growing in the same plot. Is it an appropriate choice for the conditions I described
Hi! As long as Vanilla Spice® Summersweet gets at least 4 hours of sun a day in that area, you should be good to grow!