Document Type

Article

Disciplines

Biodiversity | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Forest Biology | Life Sciences

Abstract

Clethra alnifolia is a highly prized fragrant deciduous shrub, often found in many home gardens across Eastern North America. Despite its popularity in the landscape industry, there is little research comparing C. alnifolia's natural habits in the wild to its habits as a landscaped cultivar. Information such as flowering phenology, genetic diversity, and growth habits have the potential to change considerably depending on C. alnifolia's location. Because of this, it is important that landscape growers as well as forest conservationists have access to ecological fact sheets in order to make informed decisions when transferring seed to different areas. In this fact sheet for Clethra alnifolia, or Summersweet, flowering phenology differences are presented, as well as genetic diversity statistics, differences in wild and cultivar growth habits, and known pest issues and common diseases, with the goal of providing valuable considerations on the proper transfer of Clethra alnifolia seeds and its cultivars, and information that will assist growers and conservationists in properly establishing this plant in varied, contrasting microclimates.

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