About the Clethra Hummingbird

Appearance

• The Clethra Hummingbird has sweet-smelling, attractive white flowers that grow on long spikes; the leaves are shiny, dark green and serrated. In Northern climates, the Hummingbird blooms in July and August for four to six weeks. In the fall, its foliage turns yellow; in winter it has persistent dark brown seed pods. Unlike other shrubs in the Clethra family, the Hummingbird cultivar is compact and slow-growing; it mounds rather than spreads out as it grows.

Growing Conditions

• Although it prefers partial shade and moist, acidic soil, the Clethra Hummingbird tolerates a wide range of light, soil, and moisture conditions. It can be grown in full sun and has the unusual ability to bloom in full shade. It will also grow in soils ranging from average to acidic and from occasionally dry to wet. It grows in Zones 3 to 9 and can tolerate winter temperatures up to -30 degrees Fahrenheit. These characteristics make it ideal for planting along the margins of streams, ponds and water features. It can also tolerate salty soils along the seashore.

Flowers

• The Hummingbird's flowers have been described as clove-scented and spicy. The showy white blossoms readily attract bees and butterflies. Although it lacks the range of color that some other members of the Clethera family provide, the Hummingbird produces about twice as many blooms. Its name is somewhat misleading, as it was named for a planting site along Hummingbird Lake, Georgia. It is not used specifically to attract hummingbirds. However, it may do so on occasion.

Cultivation

• The Clethra Hummingbird requires little maintenance and will thrive in wet, shady areas. Because it is compact and slow-growing, it requires little pruning. It does not have serious problems with insects or species-specific diseases, although it can be susceptible to root rot and fungal dieback. In dry seasons, it it sometimes susceptible to mites. When full grown, it is about 3 feet high and 3 feet wide. It naturalizes easily and forms good hedges.