TODAY IN THE ORCHARD
Clethra alnifolia
One of my favorite woody perennials is now in full bloom, Clethra alnifolia (coastal sweetpepperbush or summer sweet). We grow the pink flowering Ruby Spice but the common white flowering Clethra is just as fine a plant. Though it does not appear to spread from seed, it does spread from root suckers, and one small plant can spread to ten-fifteen across in ten years. It’s not tall. Our oldest plant is about four-five feet. Clethra is super attractive to bees and butterflies. Tonight at 7:00 there were still several bumblebees buzzing from flower to flower.