Summersweet Clethra alnifolia

Summersweet is a great choice for a pollinator garden. Its spikes of small white flowers produce nectar that attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Its ability to bloom in shady locations and in late summer add interest to the garden during a time when many other plants have stopped blooming for the season. After blooming, the flowers are replaced by dark brown seed capsules that provide winter interest and a food source for small mammals and birds. In the wild, it can be found growing in damp thickets, swamps and sandy wooded areas.