Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice'

Clethra 'Ruby Spice' is an exceptional deciduous shrub that delivers outstanding multi-season interest with fragrant deep pink flowers, attractive foliage, and excellent adaptability. This superior summersweet cultivar is celebrated for its intensely fragrant rose-pink flower spikes that bloom in mid to late summer when few other shrubs are flowering, filling the garden with sweet perfume and attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. Perfect for wet sites, shade gardens, and mixed borders, 'Ruby Spice' offers reliable beauty and exceptional performance in challenging conditions.

Key Features:

• Fragrant Deep Pink Flowers: Intensely fragrant rose-pink flower spikes bloom for 4-6 weeks in summer
• Extended Bloom Period: Flowers from mid-summer through early fall when few other shrubs bloom
• Pollinator Magnet: Attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds throughout the blooming season
• Golden Fall Color: Foliage transforms to brilliant golden-yellow in autumn
• Wet Site Tolerant: Thrives in moist to wet soils where other shrubs struggle
• Shade Tolerant: Performs well in partial shade to full sun

Growing Information:

• Hardiness Zones: 4-9
• Mature Size: 3-6' tall x 4-6' wide
• Growth Rate: Moderate
• Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade; tolerates full shade
• Soil: Prefers moist, acidic, organic-rich soil; tolerates wet conditions
• Water Needs: Moderate to high; thrives in consistently moist soil

Landscape Uses:

Ideal for rain gardens, wet sites, woodland edges, and shaded borders. The fragrant flowers and adaptability make it perfect for foundation plantings, mixed shrub borders, and naturalistic gardens. Excellent for areas with poor drainage, along streams or ponds, and in low-lying areas where other shrubs fail. Works beautifully in groupings, as a specimen plant, or in pollinator gardens where its summer blooms provide critical nectar when other sources are scarce.

Why Choose Ruby Spice?

Unlike the white-flowered species, 'Ruby Spice' offers intensely fragrant deep pink flowers that create stunning visual and sensory impact in the summer garden. Its ability to thrive in wet, shaded conditions makes it invaluable for challenging sites where few other flowering shrubs succeed. The extended bloom period provides months of fragrance and pollinator activity during the summer doldrums, while the golden fall color ensures continued interest. As a native cultivar, it supports local ecosystems while requiring minimal maintenance once established.

Care Tips:

Plant in moist, acidic soil with good organic content. Water regularly to maintain consistent moisture, especially during establishment and dry periods. Mulch heavily around the base to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges if needed to maintain shape or remove dead wood. Fertilize in spring with an acid-loving plant fertilizer if desired, though it typically thrives without supplemental feeding in organic-rich soil.

Our healthy plant liners are ready to establish quickly and provide years of fragrant blooms and golden fall color in your landscape.