Clethra macrophylla

Clethra macrophylla (Mexican Clethra) is listed as deciduous (it appears to be more evergreen???) shrub with very large clusters of fragrant flowers.  Clethra macrophylla is RARE and I only know this plant from a single specimen growing in a garden near Salem, Oregon.  It survived (with no visible damage) the nasty cold January 2024 (4 consecutive days with low temperature of 14F and daytime highs below freezing).  Clethra macrophylla appears to be evergreen or at least semi evergreen (literature says deciduous) and produces MASSIVE inflorescences of fragrant flowers.  Unlike any other Clethra I've ever seen!  I fell in love with it when I first saw it and am blown away by the size of the flower clusters.  I didn't even recognize it as a clethra.  I've never seen it available before and not sure of its hardiness.  Was afraid it would not tolerate high summer heat and humidity, but our plants here in the nursery (near Raleigh, NC) THRIVED here this summer in containers and probably had the best looking foliage at the end of the growing season of any other plant at the nursery.  Yet to be tried in the garden outside here - so it will be an experiment for us all to see how it fares in the ground in various parts of the country.  I'll be excited to plant several around the garden here this spring!  Probably best to plant in a sheltered location until we have better information.

• HARDINESS: zones 7-9 (very little information available)
• EXPOSURE:  part shade to sun
• SIZE:  4-8'
• SHIPPING SIZE: 1/2 gallon container.  12-15" plant.