Plant Care Coastal Sweet Pepperbush

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush

About Coastal Sweet Pepperbush

Sweet pepperbush is a deciduous shrub that may grow to 5 to 10 feet. It is native to eastern North America from Maine south to Florida and west to Texas. Small, white flowers occur in dense clusters on long 3 to 6 inch terminal spikes mature in late summer. The flowers produce high quality nectar and pollen that supports hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

Taxonomy

Clethra alnifolia
Clethra
Clethraceae
Ericales

Also known as

Coastal sweetpepperbush, Summersweet and Summer Sweet

How to care for Coastal Sweet Pepperbush

💦 Water

How often to water your Coastal Sweet Pepperbush

Water needs for Coastal Sweet Pepperbush
0.5 cups
every 9

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Coastal Sweet Pepperbush

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Coastal Sweet Pepperbush in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Coastal Sweet Pepperbush: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Coastal Sweet Pepperbush in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Coastal Sweet Pepperbush

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Coastal Sweet Pepperbush: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Coastal Sweet Pepperbush after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level
💦 Water Needs

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush Water Frequency →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush Light Requirements →

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Is Coastal Sweet Pepperbush Edible? →


🪴 Soil

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Pots for Coastal Sweet Pepperbush →

When and How to Successfully Repot Coastal Sweet Pepperbush →

What Are Healthy Coastal Sweet Pepperbush Roots →


💩 Fertilizer

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush Lifecycle →

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Coastal Sweet Pepperbush →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors
🌱 Propagation

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

  • Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
  • If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
  • Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
  • Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Coastal Sweet Pepperbush, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Coastal Sweet Pepperbush

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush

Coastal Sweet Pepperbush


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

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