W&M ScholarWorks Reports 11-1-1999 Sweetpepper Bush Clethra alnifolia L. Gene Silberhorn Virginia Institute of Marine Science Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports Part of the Plant Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Silberhorn, G. (1999) Sweetpepper Bush Clethra alnifolia L.. Wetland Flora Technical Reports, Wetlands Program, Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary. http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/m2-ep1m-de63 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Reports by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Wetlands Technical Report Program Wetland Flora No. 99-11 / November 1999 Gene Silberhorn Sweetpepper Bush Clethra alnifolia L. Growth Habit and Diagnostic Characteristics Habitat Sweetpepper bush is a coastal freshwater shrub with Sweetpepper bush is most likely found in wooded simple, deciduous, alternate leaves (3 to 6 inches wetlands in coastal Virginia, but can grow elsewhere long) and serrated margins. It often grows in dense in non-wetland areas. It is the dominant shrub in the thickets from 3 to 10 feet tall. In mid-summer, the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina. shrub produces a terminal inflorescence (raceme) of Dense thickets exist there that are difficult to penetrate small, white fragrant flowers. By late summer or early during the growing season. In the Swamp, it is often fall, green, globular capsules (1/8- 1/4 in. wide) associated with fetterbush (Lyonia lucida) and coastal appear (as illustrated) and turn gray by late autumn/ sweetbells (Leucothoe axillaris).