Ruby Spice Summersweet

Plant in spring or fall in moist, well-drained to wet soil, spacing 4–5 feet apart. Ruby Spice is a summersweet variety with unusually deep, rosy-pink flower spikes — the darkest pink available in summersweet. It adapts to wet soils, clay, and acid conditions and is one of the most versatile native shrubs for challenging sites. Dig the planting hole to the depth of the root ball, amend lightly with compost, and water well.

Prune in early spring to remove any dead wood and lightly shape the plant. Summersweet blooms on new wood, so spring pruning does not reduce flowering. The intensely fragrant pink flowers attract butterflies and bees in midsummer. Excellent fall foliage color. Fertilize lightly in spring. A wonderful, fragrant native shrub for moist, shaded, or difficult wet areas where its beauty can be fully appreciated.