Clethra

Did you know

• Clethra is commonly called 'summersweet' for its intensely fragrant flower spikes that perfume gardens in July and August.
• It is one of the last native shrubs to bloom in summer, filling a critical gap for late-season pollinators.
• The flowers attract an extraordinary number of butterflies, giving it the alternate name 'butterfly bush of the wetlands.'
• The genus name comes from the Greek 'klethra,' the ancient name for alder, due to similar leaf shapes.
• Clethra naturally grows in coastal swamps and stream banks, tolerating both wet feet and salt spray.

Color meanings

Uses

• pollinator garden
• rain garden
• fragrant hedge