did you know?

'Ruby Spice' summersweet was discovered in the early 1990s as a sport of another pink-flowering summersweet. A sport is a mutation that appears suddenly in plants, changing the appearance of a branch or section, and sometimes the entire plant. Most summersweet are white blooming, but 'Ruby Spice' was propagated from a branch that seemed to hold the soft pink color throughout the summer, while the rest of the flowers faded to white.

general maintenance:

Pruning is rarely necessary because this shrub has a tidy, compact growth habit.

pests/diseases:

Summersweet is a carefree shrub.

how to sow/plant:

Choose a partly sunny site with well-drained soil, making sure there is enough room for shrub to reach its mature spread. In early spring, dig a hole twice as wide as the container or root ball. Set plant at same depth or slightly higher than it was in the pot, or if balled, even with top of root ball. Fill in hole around plant with soil and mound soil to form a 2-inch-high ridge around perimeter of the hole to act as a catchbasin. If plant is balled in plastic, remove carefully before planting. Burlap may be left around root ball and then peeled back once plant is set in hole. Water thoroughly, filling the basin and allowing water to settle several times. Spread 2-inche layer of mulch around plant.

water and fertilize:

Maintain uniform soil moisture the first season. Be sure the soil is moist before the ground freezes in fall. Each spring before growth begins, apply an all-purpose fertilizer, following label directions. Once shrub is established, usually by the third year, water only in times of drought.

garden hint:

In moist conditions, summersweet will spread quickly by underground rhizomes. To control, use a sharp spade to circle the shrub, cutting the fleshy roots.

features:

• Attractive Flowers
• Attractive Foliage
• Attracts Butterflies
• Deciduous
• Fall Foliage
• Fragrant
• Native
• Shade Tolerant
• Wet Tolerant

garden uses:

• Edging
• Flowerbed borders

other uses:

combine with:

chaste tree spirea butterfly bush and bee balm in the sunny border where it will attract bees and butterflies.