This suckering deciduous shrub has upright branched stems that form a dense rounded habit. It has mid green finely toothed oval leaves that turn yellow during autumn and the fragrant white cup-shaped flowers appear in a raceme during late summer. 

Hardiness zones 4 to 9 

Clethra alnifolia is naturally found in eastern North America from Maine to northern Florida and extending to eastern Texas growing along the coast and inland from sea level to an altitude of 548 m (1798 ft). 

It prefers a well drained moist, organic rich acid soils with a pH 5.0 -6.8 in a open sunny to semi shaded position and is drought tender but salt and frost tolerant. 

Sweet Pepper Bush is a hardy shrub that is grown for its fragrant flowers and is planted in small to medium size gardens as a specimen or in group plantings. It is salt and wind tolerant and used in coastal plantings establishing in 2 to 4 years. As a suckering plant it forms thickets and can be used for a low screen along borders. ID 1633

Clethra (KLEE-thra) alnifolia (al-nee-FOH-lee-uh)

Clethraceae (kleth-RAY-see-ee)