Ruby Spice Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice')
KLETH-rah all-nih-FOE-lee-ah 'Ruby Spice'

Deciduous Perennial Shrub in the Clethraceae Family

A rose-pink-flowered selection of summersweet, discovered as a chance branch sport of 'Pink Spires' by Andy Brand at Broken Arrow Nursery in 1992. Its bottle-brush flower spikes hold their rich, non-fading color better than its parent and most other pink cultivars. Reaches about 5ft tall and 4ft wide, with fragrant summer blooms and clear yellow fall color. Winner of the Cary Award and RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Pros

  • Rich, non-fading rose-pink flower spikes - the darkest pink of the summersweet cultivars
  • Intensely fragrant; attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
  • Tolerates wet soil, clay, and shade better than most flowering shrubs
  • Deer resistant; Cary Award and RHS Award of Garden Merit winner

Cons

  • Needs consistently moist, acidic soil; struggles if allowed to dry out
  • Suckers and spreads over time; may need root pruning to control spread
  • Watch for spider mites in hot, dry conditions
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 5 feet tall. 3 - 4 feet wide.
Growth Rate Medium
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet: Widely adaptable
Zones 4a - 9b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Fall Color, For a Shady Spot, Foundation, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Rain Garden, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Popular For Fall, Showy Flowers, Shrub, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant Pink Flowering Shrubs
Bloom Period July to August
Flower Color Rose Pink
Foliage Color
 

Awards
 

Plant Club Content
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other moisture-loving shade plants such as ferns, hostas, and astilbe, or with native pollinator shrubs in a woodland or rain garden setting.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!