Clethra Alnifolia ‘Vanilla Spice’

A lovely flowering shrub for a shady, moist border on acid soil, Clethra alnifolia ‘Vanilla Spice’ provides an abundance of flowers with a sweet clove scent which is irresistible to pollinators. This adaptable plant will tolerate full sun providing the soil is consistently moist, but it is especially valuable for its ability to flower freely in part shade.

Clethra alnifolia ‘Vanilla Spice’ forms a compact, deciduous, suckering shrub clothed in dark green, glossy leaves with serrated edges which often turn yellow in autumn. From mid-summer into autumn, it bears numerous racemes of white flowers which are extremely fragrant, luring a wealth of bees and other beneficial pollinators. The flowers on this variety are distinguished by being exceptionally large, each raceme measuring 10-12in long. The blooms are followed by dark brown fruits which often persist through winter. Height and spread: 1.5–2.5 metres (5-8ft).