Infuse your garden with fragrance, color, and seasonal interest with Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’, commonly known as Ruby Spice Summersweet. This stunning native shrub is cherished for its vibrant deep pink flower spikes that bloom profusely from mid to late summer, filling the air with a delightful, sweet fragrance. Its glossy, dark green foliage provides a lush backdrop and turns brilliant yellow in the fall, offering multi-season beauty. Ruby Spice thrives in moist soils, tolerates partial shade, and is a magnet for pollinators, making it perfect for rain gardens, borders, or naturalized landscapes.

Why Choose Ruby Spice Summersweet?

• Fragrant Blooms: Rich pink flower spikes emit a sweet, clove-like fragrance, creating a sensory delight in your garden.
• Seasonal Beauty: Deep green summer foliage transitions to vibrant yellow in fall, adding year-round appeal.
• Pollinator-Friendly: Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, supporting biodiversity and your local ecosystem.
• Moisture-Loving: Thrives in wet soils, making it ideal for rain gardens, streambanks, or low-lying areas.

Cultivation Tips

• Sunlight Needs: Prefers partial shade but thrives in full sun with adequate moisture.
• Soil Preferences: Grows best in moist, acidic, well-drained soils but adapts to sandy or clay conditions.
• Watering Requirements: Requires consistent moisture, especially during dry periods or in full sun.
• Spacing: Plant 3-5 feet apart to allow for its rounded growth habit and to create a lush display.

Design Ideas for Your Garden

Ruby Spice Summersweet is perfect for adding color and fragrance to shaded borders, rain gardens, or foundation plantings. Use it as a hedge or mass planting to create a striking mid-summer display, or pair it with other moisture-loving natives like Cardinal Flower or Blue Flag Iris for a dynamic and biodiverse landscape. Its compact size and colorful blooms also make it a beautiful addition to pollinator-friendly gardens.

Ecological Benefits

Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’ provides nectar and pollen for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Its dense growth habit and tolerance for wet soils help stabilize soil and prevent erosion, making it a valuable plant for sustainable gardens and water management areas.

Enhance your garden with the color, fragrance, and ecological benefits of Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’ – Ruby Spice Summersweet. This versatile native shrub will delight your senses and support pollinators year after year.