Hummingbird Summersweet

Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird'

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Understanding Plant Options

Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:

Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements

Container Plant Sizes

Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.

Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2" x 2" x 3"	0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts	0.20 - 0.23 dry liters
4" Container	0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts	0.35 - 0.96 dry liters
4.5" Container	0.65 dry quarts	0.72 dry liters
6" Container	1.4 dry quarts	1.59 dry liters
1 Quart	1 dry quart	1.1 dry liters
5.5" Container	1.89 dry quarts	2.08 dry liters

Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2 Quart	2 dry quarts	2.2 dry liters
#1 Container	2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts	2.49 - 4.11 dry liters
5" x 5" x 12"	3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts	3.85 - 4.74 dry liters

Mature Plants (2-4 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#2 Container	1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons	5.24 - 7.75 dry liters
#3 Container	2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons	8.14 - 12.16 dry liters

Large Plants (3-5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#5 Container	2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons	12.86 - 20.35 dry liters
#6 Container	5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons	23.12 - 26.42 dry liters
#7 Container	5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons	26.34 - 28.76 dry liters

Bare Root Plants

Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.

Common Sizes:

Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet

Important Notes

Container Volume Specifications

Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents

Growing Conditions

Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment

Seasonal Availability

Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
Container plants are available throughout the growing season
Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes

Questions?

For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.

Plant Highlights

Hummingbird Summersweet highlights at a glance!

Brand

Nature Hills' Choice
Botanical Name

Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird'
Mature Height

2 - 4 feet
Mature Spread

3 - 4 feet
Sun Exposure

Full Sun
Soil

Widely adaptable
Growth Rate

Medium
Fall Color

Yellow
Pollinator Required

No
Bloom Period

Summer, Fall

Growing Zones

Find Your Growing Zone!

Ornamental Shrub with Exceptional Features

Fragrant Summer Flowers
Fall Interest
Adaptive To Many Conditions
Seacoast And Salt Tolerant

Hummingbird Summersweet is a deciduous, ornamental shrub. Plant several for a low-growing, colorful hedge along your garage, or perhaps just one in your butterfly garden where you're sure to attract some of your favorite winged creatures.

Your Hummingbird Summersweet is sure to astound you with the beauty of its bottle brush-style blooms. Each 6-inch long blossom of pristine white will further entice you with its delicious fragrance, a captivating call that's hard to resist.

Likewise, the 4-inch leaves are also delightfully attractive on this lovely shrub, each with an oblong shape and serrated edges. The dark green shade of the foliage and its glossy sheen will create an eye-catching display in your landscape even without the elegant, summer flowers.

As autumn approaches, the foliage continues its vibrant appearance as it transitions to earthy shades of yellow and brown. As an added treat, 1/8-inch, brown seeds persist into winter for a bit of added decorative appeal and wildlife interest.

It has a rounded manner and is adaptive to a variety of soils and conditions. Hummingbird Summersweet has a dwarf nature and more compact than some other varieties. It grows naturally lovely, but is amenable to pruning if you should prefer a more manicured appearance.

With so many shrubs to choose from, it can be difficult to decide upon the perfect one for your home. Hummingbird Summersweet provides not only the expected green foliage and fall interest of a deciduous shrub, but also superb flowers and wildlife appeal. Why not try one in your yard this year and begin to understand why Hummingbird Summersweet is such a valued ornamental shrub.