Vanilla Spice® Summersweet
Clethra 'Vanilla Spice'
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Vanilla Spice® Summersweet is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™

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Your order is protected by our compliance system that:
- Prevents restricted plants from shipping to your state
- Ensures plants meet your state's agricultural requirements
- Protects gardens from invasive pests and diseases
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Fast, Safe Plant Delivery
Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected
Under $50 | $9.99 |
$50 - $99.99 | $14.99 |
$100 - $149.99 | $16.99 |
$150+ | $24.99 |
✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee
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
Vanilla Spice® Summersweet highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Flower Color
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Pollinator Friendly
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Pollinator Required
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Bloom PeriodSummer

Growing Zones 4-9
Some Blooms Exceed a Foot in Length!
Vanilla Spice is a variety of Summersweet shrub with ornamental features. These would look wonderful in a naturalized area of your yard, near a water garden or even used as a foundation plant.
Your Vanilla Spice Summersweet is renowned for its long panicles of white blossoms—some of which reach up to a foot in length! Each tiny bloom of the panicle features delicate stamens that reach beyond the petals. This grants an adorable, fluffy appearance to the long, bottle brush-like flowers. The fragrance of each impressive flower is sure to draw you in for a closer look...as well as draw pollinators to your summer yard.
Vanilla Spice's foliage fills your shrub out with dense, dark green leaves. Each 4-inch leaf sports serrated edges and a glossy nature for a healthy, vibrant appearance in your yard. Those same leaves assume lovely hues of gold and brown for autumn before dropping to reveal the dark brown seed pods that persist into winter.
Vanilla Spice Summersweet is a deciduous shrub that has an upright form with a rounded, densely-branched manner and is valued for its compact nature. Vanilla Spice is adaptive to a variety of conditions, and relatively care free. It will even tolerate damp soils and shady spots in your yard.
When choosing a decorative shrub for your yard, you can hardly go wrong with a Summersweet. Vanilla Spice is a high-performing Summersweet, with blooms that are double the size of those of other varieties! It even blooms in shade! Quite clearly, Vanilla Spice would make an incredible addition to your yard this year.
- Amazing fragrance, Attracts butterflies
- Fall color and interest
- Tolerant of moist soils and shade
- Deer resistant