Clethra Species, Japanese Clethra

I had nice specimens both in the deep Missouri Ozarks and in Kansas City. Both were killed stone dead by the extended hard freeze of Apri...Read Morel 2007. Have restarted the plant in both locations.
The other hazard is deer, which will eat off all the new growth just because they can. Why can't they eat the confounded bush honeysuckles?

I have an 8-9' specimen in front (north side) of my house. It produces lovely drooping white flowers in mid-summer that are very fragrant...Read More. I get comments about it when it is in bloom.

From the Southern Living Gardening book: Slow-growing plant reaches 15-18 ft. tall and about one-half to one-thirds as wide. Has attracti...Read Moreve, peeling, glossy gray to brown bark when mature. Produces drooping, 4-6 in. clusters of fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers. Oval, pointed, sharply toothed dark green leaves turn bright yellow in fall. 'Variegata' has leaves attractively splashed with golden yellow.

I have not grown this plant yet but hope to do so in the near future. Will post with my experience.