well I know it likes moist soils.

It survived for three years? So far I've managed to kill two. The first took one year and the second took two. At this point, I just make a hollow laughing sound when people refer to them as 'easy to grow'. In my particular case, I think the problem is a pH sensitivity. I *have* a swamp, and even putting it on the edge of squish didn't help.

So... maybe I won't get another one :( With all the other great native butterfly plants available, I'll go for something less sensitive to moisture levels, which I suspect was the problem (though heaven knows it had enough moisture last year). I'll also have to look up the results of the soil test we did after we built this garden (using entirely organic compost for soil) before I buy something else for it (though everyone else living there seems very happy -- the native phlox get HUGE, and the ninebark is happy as a [large, green] clam).

Back to the drawing board.... :)

maybe C. Hummingbird would do better?

I didn't know Ruby Spice was temperamental. I'll have to go check on mine and make sure they're ok. I kinda took them for granted. I bought 3 teeny weeny pots mail order awhile back and they have only recently started to get going.

As it was said before, acid soil and ample moisture, that's all any clethra may need. That's all as far as I know.

I planted a few Ruby Spices in my friend's swamp- er, garden last year. They did great last year, but I noticed they are VERY slow to come to life this spring. I didn't break off any branches yet though. I didn't know they had a reputation for being tempermental, either.

:)
Dee

I am having a problem with both my 'Hummingbird' and 'Sherry Sue' The Sherry Sue did finally come back but only half way up each stem and I had to prune it back significantly. The Hummingbird does seem to have some bottom leaves just opening but I think I am going to have to cut that back to just about ground level. I've just been waiting to see if I will get any more leaves further up. I've had the Hummingbird for 4 years and it has always been late but always came back fine. It was just getting to a good size too. The Sherry Sue was just added two falls ago.

Hi Marty - you're not alone. I have 4 'Ruby Spice' purchased in 2008 from the same nursery. All 4 in acid, moisture-retentive soil,lightly filtered shade with about 3 hours of direct sun. One bloomed profusely last year, one is dead this year (branches break right off) none show any signs of life except that there is a 'springyness' in the branches of the remaining three. Mine leaf-out late, nearly the end of May, but side by side in my back garden, one lived, one didn't.

I don't usually replace like-for-like plants that die. Yesterday I came home with Chaenomeles speciosa "Toyo Nishiki" (Japanese Flowering Quince) - beautiful shrub. In bloom now, not August as Ruby Spice would be (should be). If my remaining three clethra are not happy in my yard, they will not be replaced with other clethra...I'll move on. Good luck at the sale!

Kindly,
Jane

I had a rosea for about 3 years until the tree service dropped a tree trunk on it and it broke off at the base. I left the stub to see if like many bushes it would resprout from the roots but it did not. I'm not going to replace it due to the large amount of winter kill it gets. Maybe I will try a dwf mountain laurel instead.

Just be sure they're dead before you give up on them. My 'Ruby Spice' are just now starting to bud. Perhaps you haven't waited long enough - they do bud late. OR, perhaps mine are on their way out too!

Yes, I am notorious for giving second (and third, even fourth) chances! It certainly SOUNDS dead (sharp snap when you break a branch, sounding thoroughly dry and dead) BUT... I am cutting it back to about 6 inches and we will see if it cares to rejoin its garden mates.

In the meantime, I found that going unaccompanied to the conservation district sale early on the first day (so everyone else with the same idea was there and thus no carts were available) decidedly reduces the quantity one buys, though I did come home with a native spice bush .... much taller, so it had to go at the back, at the woods' edge (and as is always the case, one new resident means everyone else has to shuffle as the garden commences its annual game of musical chairs :)

Thanks, everyone, for the comments -- I am so glad to know I'm not the only one to find clethra temperamental!

That's odd, I think mine died over the winter too. Or it's just very slow to wake up... but I think it's dead. :-/