“Mmmmhh” you think as you take a deep breath through your nose. It’s the middle of the summer and you’re driving with your windows down when you catch the sweet aroma of summer flowers wafting through the air. The smell of nostalgia takes you back to the carefree days of youthful summers. 

The unmistakable smell is that of one of my favorite native plants, Clethra alnifolia. Otherwise known as Summersweet or Sweet Pepperbush. The distinct smell of Summersweet is not only attractive to humans but also bees and butterflies and the aptly named ‘Hummingbird’ variety will attract… you guessed it, hummingbirds! 

Speaking of varieties, this plant comes in a bunch of shapes and sizes. After the flowering, peppercorn-like seed pods develop which will attract birds into the Fall. During the Fall season, you will also be gifted with a brilliant show of yellow to orange-yellow foliage.

After all of these benefits I still haven’t even told you about my favorite one yet. Summersweet not only tolerates heavy shade but can actually do very well and what’s even more unique is that it even blooms in full shade locations!

Now when you’re driving around this summer, remember to open your sunroof and let your windows down and hopefully you’ll find the sweet smell of Summersweet wafting through your car once more, and you’ll observe the full essence of summer.