Clethra tomentosa Lam.

Downy Sweet Pepperbush

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

Downy Sweet Pepperbush is a native deciduous shrub in the Pepperbush family (Clethraceae). It can be found in the southern third of Alabama. Downy Sweet Pepperbush occurs in mesic to moist Longleaf pine forests, along streams, in bogs, and in low hardwood forests. It is a shrub reaching 4-8 feet in height. It is colonial from root suckers. The young stems are woolly while older stems have smooth reddish-brown bark. The leaves are alternate or spirally arranged. The leaves are petiolate, obovate to elliptic in outline, with toothed margins. The upper surface of the leaf is dark green with sparse stellate hairs. The lower surface is woolly tomentose and grayish in color. The leaves turn yellow before falling in the autumn. Flowers are produced in terminal or axillary racemes. The racemes are often in clusters of 2-4. The flowers are white in color and fragrant. Individual flowers have a 5-lobed campanulate calyx and 5 petals. The fruit is a capsule. Downy Sweet Pepperbush is available from native plant nurseries. Several cultivars, including ones with pink flowers, are available. Downy Sweet Pepperbush prefers a moist, sandy soil and light shade. An alternate common name for this species is “Soap Bush”. Crushing and rubbing the flowers together in water creates a sudsy liquid.--A. Diamond

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Native

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