summersweet clethra Clethraceae Clethra alnifolia L. symbol: CLAL3 Leaf: Alternate, simple, finely serrated margin, obovate, 2 to 3 1/2 inches long, glabrous, shiny dark green above, paler below. Flower: Small white flowers occurring in dense clusters on long 3 to 6 inch terminal spikes, appearing in mid to late summer. Fruit: Brown dry capsules, occurring in long clusters, persistent through the winter. Twig: Slender and scruffy brown; buds with loose scales, the terminal is much larger than the laterals; leaf scar with one bundle scar. Bark: Grayish, eventually separating into loose strips. Form: Dense shrub up to 10 feet tall, often root suckers to form thickets. Looks like: sweetspire - swamp doghobble - coast leucothoe - fetterbush lyonia Additional Range Information: Clethra alnifolia is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting summersweet clethra. More: Fall Color External Links: USDAFS Additional Silvics USDA Plants Database © Copyright 2016, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson