Proven Winners® Vanilla Spice® Summersweet Clethra

Fragrant Flowers and Foliage That Thrives Anywhere

The Vanilla Spice® Summersweet Clethra brings elegance and fragrance to your landscape. Its pure white blooms blossom mid-summer, filling the air with a delightful cherry vanilla scent that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. The extra-large florets—double the size of typical varieties—create a bold and showy display, making it a standout feature near patios or garden pathways.

This deer-resistant native shrub is practical and beautiful. Glossy green foliage provides a lush backdrop for the blooms and transforms into vibrant yellow in the fall, adding multi-season appeal. It thrives in sun, part sun, or even full shade, making it one of the best shrubs for challenging spots in your garden.

Low maintenance and naturally resistant to pests, this shrub offers effortless beauty while supporting pollinators and enhancing your outdoor space. Add year-round charm and a sweet fragrance to your garden with the Vanilla Spice® Summersweet Clethra. Order yours today!

About Proven Winners®: Proven Winners® ColorChoice Shrubs offers flowering shrubs, evergreens, and trees that have been tested for eight to ten years to ensure they outperform conventional varieties. That means bigger flowers, more colorful foliage, reblooming, disease resistance, new habits, or anything that makes them more beautiful and easier to grow in your landscape or garden.

Planting & Care

1. Planting: Choose a location with partial sun (about 4 hours), though the Vanilla Spice® Summersweet also thrives in full shade. It prefers moist, well-drained soil but tolerates wet areas. Dig a hole twice as wide and as deep as the root ball, place the plant, backfill with soil, and water thoroughly. Add a layer of mulch to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.

2. Watering: Water consistently during the first growing season to establish strong roots, keeping the soil moist but not soggy. Once established, this shrub is moderately drought-tolerant but will perform best with regular watering, especially during dry spells or extreme heat.

3. Fertilizing: Fertilize in early spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer to promote healthy growth and vibrant blooms. Avoid over-fertilizing, as it may reduce flowering. If your soil is naturally fertile, additional fertilization may not be necessary.

4. Pruning: Prune immediately after flowering if shaping or size control is needed. Remove any dead, damaged, or crossing branches to maintain the plant's health and appearance.