{"product_id":"sixteen-candles-summersweet","title":"Sixteen Candles Summersweet","description":"\u003ch1\u003eFragrant White Candles of Bloom for Shady, Wet Minnesota Spots\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSixteen Candles Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia 'Sixteen Candles') lights up late summer with upright spikes of sweetly fragrant white flowers that bees and butterflies can't resist — right when most shrubs have finished blooming. Compact and tidy, it thrives in the shady, moist spots where many flowering shrubs struggle, and finishes the year with golden fall color. Whether you're filling a shaded rain garden in Edina, scenting a part-shade border in Woodbury, or planting for pollinators in Maple Grove — Sixteen Candles brings late fragrance and life to zone 4b–5a yards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSixteen Candles Summersweet Plant Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"mce-item-table\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAttribute\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDetail\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eClethra alnifolia 'Sixteen Candles'\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon Names\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSummersweet, Sweet Pepperbush, Sixteen Candles Summersweet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Height\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3–4 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Width\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3–4 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eModerate — compact, rounded; suckers mildly\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSun\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull sun to part shade. One of the best flowering shrubs for shade; afternoon shade is welcome.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eModerate to high. Loves consistent moisture and tolerates wet soil — excellent for rain gardens.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Zones\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4–9 (Twin Cities is zone 4b–5a) — hardy here\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePrefers moist, acidic, organic-rich soil; tolerates Minnesota clay-loam. Amend alkaline soil with compost.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDeciduous — glossy green leaves turning clear yellow in fall.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinter Hardiness\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReliable to -30°F. Hardy in the Twin Cities.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeer Resistance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDeer-resistant — a good choice for high-pressure areas.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUpright spikes of fragrant white flowers in mid-to-late summer; a magnet for bees and butterflies.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSixteen Candles Summersweet Uses in Minnesota Landscapes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eShade and wet spots\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSummersweet is one of the few fragrant flowering shrubs that thrives in shade and wet soil — ideal for a shaded rain garden, low spot, or part-shade border under trees in Edina or Minnetonka.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eLate-summer fragrance and pollinators\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts sweet scent and pollen-rich flowers fill the late-summer gap, drawing bees and butterflies near a patio or path in Woodbury or Plymouth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCompact borders and foundations\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 3–4 feet it fits foundations and smaller borders, with tidy habit and golden fall color.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBest Time to Plant Sixteen Candles Summersweet in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFall (late August–early October) is the ideal planting window. Soil is still warm for root development, cool air reduces transplant stress, and the plant gets 6–8 weeks to establish roots before ground freeze (typically mid-November in the Twin Cities).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpring (late April–May, after the ground thaws) is the second-best window, giving the shrub a full season to establish before its first winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvoid summer planting (June–August) when possible. Never plant after mid-October or before late April — frozen ground or frost-heaving kills new roots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Plant Sixteen Candles Summersweet\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDig wide, not deep — 2–3× the root ball width, same depth as the container.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt loves moist, even wet soil, so low and rain-garden spots are ideal; part shade is welcome.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBackfill with native soil mixed with 20–30% compost; it prefers acidic, organic-rich soil.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpace 3–4 feet apart for a mass; it may sucker mildly to form a colony.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuild a water basin to direct water to the roots; flatten it before winter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMulch 2–3 inches with shredded bark, kept off the stems. Prune in early spring if needed — it blooms on new wood.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWatering Sixteen Candles Summersweet in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFirst Year Watering Schedule\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeeks 1–2: Every 1–2 days, deep and slow (15–25 minutes)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonth 1–2: Every 2–3 days\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonth 3–6: Every 3–5 days; never let it dry out — it prefers steady moisture\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStop watering 2–3 weeks before ground freeze (typically late October in the Twin Cities metro).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAfter Year One\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEstablished summersweet prefers consistent moisture and tolerates wet soil — water deeply during dry spells; in a rain garden it often needs no supplemental water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDrip Irrigation in Minnesota\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf used, place emitters 12–18 inches from the crown and keep the root zone evenly moist. Always winterize the system — blow out the lines before freeze and shut timers off by early October.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it grow in shade?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — summersweet is one of the best fragrant flowering shrubs for part shade, perfect under high tree canopy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it really tolerate wet soil?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — it thrives in moist to wet soil, making it an excellent rain-garden and low-spot plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhen does it bloom?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMid-to-late summer, filling the bloom gap after spring shrubs finish, with a sweet fragrance pollinators love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it deer-resistant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — deer generally pass it by.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eYou May Also Like\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRuby Spice Summersweet — a pink-flowered, fragrant summersweet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArctic Fire Dogwood — a native shrub for wet, shady spots\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShop the full Three Timbers Minnesota catalog — zone 4-hardy plants hand-selected for Twin Cities yards\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Three Timbers Minnesota","offers":[{"title":"#2 Gallon","offer_id":54307592339761,"sku":null,"price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0986\/0694\/0465\/files\/sixteen-candles-summersweet.jpg?v=1779567570","url":"https:\/\/threetimbersmn.com\/products\/sixteen-candles-summersweet","provider":"Three Timbers Minnesota","version":"1.0","type":"link"}