A super-hardy, adaptable and very easy to grow North American native flowering shrub, 'Ruby Spice' Summersweet, also called Sweet Pepperbush, is the darkest pink of all of varieties we've ever seen. We like the common name Summersweet best because it describes the deliciously fragrant flowers that smell like sweet cotton candy...not pepper! In summer, LOADS of bottlebrush-like flowers are irresistible to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinating insects. The color show continues in fall when the handsome green foliage ignites into flaming shades of yellow. The shrub seldom exceeds 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. An easy-to-grow, multi-season shrub you will not regret planting...and the hummingbirds and butterflies will thank you for it!

Suggested Spacing:  3 feet apart for solid hedges;  8 feet or more apart for space between plants

Note:  For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 3b, where this Clethra is not reliably winter hardy, you'll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Ruby Spice Clethra is very easy to grow and grows best in consistently moist, slightly acid soils in sun to part shade however tolerates a range of conditions including shade, wet soil, and salt spray. Exceptionally low maintenance requiring no pruning. In boggy soils it will spread by stolons to form a colony. Free of any pest and disease problems!