Clethra Summersweet Hummingbird Common Name: Summersweet Zone: 3 to 9 Plant Type: Deciduous shrub Family: Clethraceae Native Range: None Height: 2 to 4 feet Spread: 3 to 5 feet Bloom Time: July - August Bloom Data Bloom Color: Creamy white Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium to wet Maintenance: Low General Culture: Easily grown in average, medium wet to wet, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Adaptive to a wide range of soil, moisture and light conditions. Prefers part shade and consistently moist to wet, acidic soils. Tolerates full shade, however. Spreads slowly by rhizomes. Noteworthy Characteristics: This summersweet cultivar is a compact, slowly spreading, deciduous shrub which typically grows only 3-4' tall and features fluffy, bottle brush-like, terminal, 3-6" spikes (racemes) of extremely fragrant white flowers which bloom on current season's growth for 4-6 weeks in mid to late summer and serrated, glossy, dark green leaves which turn a striking yellow in autumn. Flower spikes give way to spikes of dark brown seed capsules which persist into winter and provide continuing interest. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bees. Somewhat unique among the summer-flowering shrubs because of its ability to produce good bloom in shady locations. This cultivar retains a more compact, mounding shape and is more floriferous than the species