Clethra alnifolia 'Fern Valley Pink'

RHS Plant Profile

summer sweet 'Fern Valley Pink'

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Shrubs

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An upright, suckering, deciduous shrub to 2.5m tall, with glossy, oval, finely toothed leaves. In late summer and early autumn, dark pink buds open to long, dense, upright spikes of very fragrant, pale pinkish white flowers

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height: 1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid

Position

Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Clethraceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Suckering
Genus: Clethra can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs, sometimes with attractive bark, with simple leaves and small, fragrant, usually white, bell-shaped flowers in racemes or panicles
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained acidic soil in partial or dappled shade, a woodland garden is ideal

Propagation

Propagate by sowing seed in containers outdoors in spring or autumn. Take greenwood cuttings in early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Remove some of the older stems from the base in winter, leaving the strongest suckers as replacement growth

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free