Summersweet Clethra

Summersweet Clethra has induced me end my blogging hiatus. Passing by a massing of this shrub yesterday, I was caught off guard by the fabulous scent. Dr. Dirr describes it as “delightfully fragrant.” It’s not a scent that is overpowering, but rather one of which you can’t seem to get enough.

Summersweet Clethra (Clethra alnifolia) is a large summer-blooming shrub that grows 3-8’ high and 4-6’ wide. The fragrant blooms are not terribly showy but will last 4 weeks or more. This plant is “tremendously pest free” and will do well in sun or shade and wet soils. Fall color is also a “worthwhile attribute.”

The pictured shrub is the ‘Ruby Spice’ variety which is a lovely soft pink. Bees, butterflies, and a variety of insects love this native plant. If you have an informal shrub border with some space, use this plant. And in other garden news, the American Plums are ripening!

plum crazy

Plums are a great addition to the edible landscape, and help to promote wildlife. (The bees were going crazy over this Chickasaw plum's blooms.) Three species that do well in our area with little input are American plum (Prunus americana), Wild Goose Plum (Prunus munsoniana), and Chickasaw Plum (Prunus angustifloia).

These native fruit trees can be large shrubs or small trees, hybridize amongst themselves, and tend to form colonies when left to their own devices. White spring blooms give way to red, orange, and yellow fruit in late summer. Plant a few plums for optimal pollination.

Eaten fresh, baked, or processed into jams or wine, the possibilities are mouth-watering and easy to attain. These plums will do well in partial shade to full sun, bearing fruit in just a few years. Keep in mind, native plums are smaller than the European varieties you may be used to at the grocery store.