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Cressler, Alan
Clethra acuminata
Clethra acuminata Michx.
Mountain Pepperbush, Mountain Sweet Pepperbush, Cinnamon Clethra
Clethraceae (Clethra Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: CLAC3
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
A 12-20 ft., multi-stemmed shrub with exfoliating, red-brown bark. Dark-green foliage turns yellow-orange in fall. Dense, terminal, drooping spikes of white flowers are spicily perfumed and are followed by brown capsules which persist through winter.
No serious disease, insect or physiological problems. Often suckers.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 20 feet tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: WhiteBloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug
Distribution
USA: AL , GA , KY , NC , PA , SC , TN , VA , WVNative Distribution: Mts. of PA & WV to extreme n. GA mts.
Native Habitat: Wooded mt. bluffs & ravines
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Part ShadeSoil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
Soil Description: Acid, rocky soils.
Conditions Comments: No serious disease, insect or physiological problems. Often suckers.
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Bumble BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Propagation
Description: Propagate by seed or softwood cuttings, with or without hormone treatment, under mist.Seed Treatment: Tiny seeds require no pretreatment.
Commercially Avail: yes
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE
Bibliography
Bibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. WasowskiBibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Additional resources
USDA: Find Clethra acuminata in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Clethra acuminata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Clethra acuminata
Metadata
Record Modified: 2022-10-03Research By: TWC Staff