Pollinator plant

Sweet Pepperbush

Clethra alnifolia

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Common names

26 names · 16 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Alderleaf Clethra[4]
  • Alderleaf Pepperbush[4]
  • Clethra[4]
+5 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (15)
Dutch
French
  • clèthre à feuilles d'aulne[2][3]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 桤叶山柳[3]
  • 甜胡椒[3]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 榿葉山柳[3]
Czech
  • jochovec olšolistý[3]
Danish
  • konvalbusk[3]
Estonian
  • lepalehine kletra[3]
Finnish
  • valkokletra[3]
German
  • Erlenblättrige Zimterle[2][3]
Japanese
  • アメリカリョウブ[3]
Lithuanian
  • Tikrasis alksnotis[3]
Russian
  • Клетра ольхолистная[3]
Slovak
  • kletra jelšolistá[3]
Swedish
  • konvaljbuske[3]
Ukrainian
  • Клетра вільхолиста[3]
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Clethra alnifolia ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Coastal sweetpepperbush — VernacularName.tsv, line 152695; taxon W4BJ.
[2] Clethra alnifolia — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Erlenblättrige Zimterle — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Summersweet — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Sweet Pepper Bush — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Sweet Pepperbush — results[0].names[0]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • clèthre à feuilles d'aulne — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Clethra — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Witte Schijnels — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
[3] Clethra alnifolia — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Erlenblättrige Zimterle — results[20].names[13]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Summersweet — results[20].names[14]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Sweet Pepper Bush — results[20].names[3]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Sweet Pepperbush — results[20].names[0]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • clèthre à feuilles d'aulne — results[20].names[2]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Clethra — results[20].names[11]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Witte Schijnels — results[20].names[4]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Клетра ольхолистная — results[20].names[5]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • jochovec olšolistý — results[20].names[6]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • アメリカリョウブ — results[20].names[7]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • lepalehine kletra — results[20].names[8]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • 桤叶山柳 — results[20].names[9]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • 榿葉山柳 — results[20].names[10]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • konvaljbuske — results[20].names[12]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Tikrasis alksnotis — results[20].names[15]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • konvalbusk — results[20].names[16]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • 甜胡椒 — results[20].names[17]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • valkokletra — results[20].names[18]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • kletra jelšolistá — results[20].names[19]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Клетра вільхолиста — results[20].names[20]; taxon id 52867; Clethra alnifolia.
[4] Clethra alnifolia — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Alderleaf Clethra — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Alderleaf Pepperbush — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Clethra — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Coastal Sweet-pepperbush — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Summersweet — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(5); heading: Common Name(s):; Clethra alnifolia.
  • Sweet Pepperbush — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(6); heading: Common Name(s):; Clethra alnifolia.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Clethra alnifolia is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Clethraceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
1.52–3.05 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
1.22–1.83 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Dense; Erect; Mounding; Multi-stemmed; Oval

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Medium

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist; Occasionally Dry; Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, pollinators, specialized bees.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Native range
SE. Canada to Texas.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Unknown
Plant profile

About this plant

Coastal sweetpepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) is a shrub. It flowers from August to September.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Clethra alnifolia — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 5327710; ID W4BJ; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 5327710; ID W4BJ; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Clethra alnifolia — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Clethra alnifolia — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 982167; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 54635, 54636, 54637, 54638, 54639, 54640, 54641, 54642, 54643, 54645, 54646, 54647, 54648, 54649, 54650, 54651, 54652, 54653, 54654, 54655, 54656, 54657

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.