Native Clethra

While on a canoe trip yesterday at Bunganut Pond in Lyman I saw quite a bit of Clethra alnifolia growing along the water’s edge.  I thought I would share a few pictures of it in its "wild" state, as I had just shared some photos of landscape specimens in my last blog entry.  This native variety forms dense patches and thrives in sandy, wet soils.  The smell was amazing!  After flowering, the dried fruiting capsules remain through the winter and make it easy to identify.

 

There were also several wild blueberry bushes growing right along the bank that were perfectly ripe, and delicious!

More Favorite Flowers...

 

Clethra alnifolia, commonly referred to as Sweet Pepperbush or Summersweet, is one of my favorite flowering shrubs.  The fragrant flower spikes are in full bloom here in Maine and are intoxicating!  This is a great shrub to use in shade to part-shade gardens and is available in white or pink shades.  The common variety can grow to 6 feet, while there are a few compact varieties for smaller spaces that get to about 3 feet.  Most varieties prefer moist soils and blooms last for about three weeks.