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Japanese spirea and Summersweet: growing conditions and wildlife benefits.

COMMON CHOICE Japanese spirea Spiraea japonica	NATIVE ALTERNATIVE Summersweet Clethra alnifolia
	GO NATIVE
Native range
Japan and China	Eastern North AmericaSee state guides
Sunlight
Full sun to part shade	Part sun & shade
Soil moisture
Average moisture; well-drained soil	Moist to wet / Average moisture
Mature height
4–6 ft	5–10 ft
Mature spread
4–7 ft	4–6 ft
USDA hardiness zones
3–8	3–9
Season of interest
Spring–summer	Summer
Garden & wildlife value
Flowers attract butterflies.	Fragrant summer flowers feed native bees and butterflies, and the fruit provides food for birds.
Growing notes
A deciduous shrub with many smaller cultivars. Can spread by seed beyond garden beds.	Likes acidic, moist soil; can form a thicket. Smaller cultivars need less space.
Growing information	Growing information

Sizes describe the species; individual cultivars can differ.