Species › Plants › Summersweet

Summersweet

Clethra alnifolia

CommonPlant
Illustration of Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)

Summersweet is a fragrant native shrub of coastal plain wetlands and boggy woods along the Atlantic seaboard. Its spikes of intensely sweet-smelling white flowers in July and August make it one of the most valuable native shrubs for pollinators. Bumblebees, native bees, and many butterflies flock to its blossoms.

Habitat
Boggy woods, wetland edges, and coastal plain swamps in eastern US
Diet
Nectar and pollen for bumblebees, native bees, and butterflies
How common
Common

Best time to see a Summersweet

The best time to see a Summersweet is May–August, when about 67% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 20,289 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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