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Clethra alnifolia 'Tom's Compact' (Sweet pepper bush 'Tom's Compact')

Other names: Sweet pepperbush 'Tom's Compact', Summer sweet 'Tom's Compact', Summersweet 'Tom's Compact', Clethra alnifolia 'Compacta', Bush pepper 'Tom's Compact'

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Variety or Cultivar
'Tom's Compact' is a compact, rounded, deciduous shrub with upright stems bearing oval, toothed, glossy, dark green leaves turning yellow in autumn and dense, erect racemes of fragrant, bell-shaped, white flowers in summer.
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Season of interest

Flower

Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Flower

Foliage

Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Foliage
Height and spread

Height and spread

Size Max height Max spread To maturity
1.2 m 1.2 m 10-20 years
3 ft 3 ft 10-20 years

Where to grow

Soil type
  • Clay
  • Loamy
  • Sandy
Soil drainage
  • Moist but well-drained
Soil pH
  • Acid
Sunlight
  • Partial Shade
  • Full Shade
Aspect
  • East
  • West
  • South
  • North
Exposure
  • Sheltered

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Additional plant details

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained, acid soil in partial or full shade. Do not allow soil to dry out. Tolerates clay.

Suggested uses

Beds and borders, Cottage/Informal, Low Maintenance, Wildlife, Waterside, Woodland

UK hardiness

H5

USDA zones

Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9

Sunset zone

4, 5, 6, A2, A3, 1, 2, 3

WUCOLS

North-Central Coastal = Moderate/Medium
Central Valley = Inappropriate
South Coastal = Unknown
South Inland = Unknown
High and Intermediate Desert = Unknown
Low Desert = Unknown

Foliage

Deciduous

Habit

Upright, Rounded, Dense

Native to

Garden origin

Drought tolerant

No

Flood tolerant

Yes

Fragrance

Flowers have a spicy fragrance.

Toxicity

Not toxic

Plant care

Pruning

Remove some of the oldest, weakest stems from the base in winter.

Propagation methods

Softwood cuttings

Pests

Generally pest-free.

Diseases

Generally disease-free.

Selective pruning only (only if needed)

Take softwood cuttings

Mulch with leaf mould or garden compost in spring (optional)

Plant in moist, lime free, well-drained soil

Plant in partial or full shade (autumn or spring)

Other plants

Plants in this Genus (11)

Clethra

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Clethra alnifolia 'Paniculata'
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Clethra alnifolia 'Paniculata' Sweet pepper bush
Clethra delavayi
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Clethra delavayi Delavay summersweet
Clethra alnifolia 'Tom's Compact'
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Clethra alnifolia 'Tom's Compact' Sweet pepper bush 'Tom's Compact'
Clethra alnifolia 'Anne Bidwell'
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Clethra alnifolia 'Anne Bidwell' Sweet pepper bush 'Anne Bidwell'
Clethra barbinervis
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Clethra barbinervis Japanese clethra
Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird'
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Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird' Sweet pepper bush 'Hummingbird'
Clethra alnifolia
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Clethra alnifolia Sweet pepper bush
Clethra arborea
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Clethra arborea Lily-of-the-valley tree
Clethra alnifolia 'Rosea'
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Clethra alnifolia 'Rosea' Sweet pepper bush 'Rosea'
Clethra alnifolia 'Sixteen Candles'
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Clethra alnifolia 'Sixteen Candles' Sweet pepper bush 'Sixteen Candles'
Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice'
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Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' Sweet pepper bush 'Ruby Spice'
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Companion plants (1)

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Kirengeshoma palmata
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Kirengeshoma palmata Yellow wax bells
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Related content

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