Clethra pringlei, commonly called Mexican clethra, is an evergreen shrub native to Mexico that grows 8 to 12 feet tall in most gardens, though it can occasionally reach 20 feet as a small tree. Between June and August, it produces long sprays of fragrant white flowers with a distinctive cinnamon-like aroma that draw butterflies and other pollinators. Winter hardy to USDA Zones 8 through 10, it thrives in full sun to partial shade and performs especially well in dappled light beneath larger trees. The plant's name honors both the alder tree, whose leaves it resembles, and Cyrus Gurnsey Pringle, the 19th-century American botanist and plant collector.
Partial Sun
Moderate
8-10
144in H x 84in W
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Moderate
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Long racemes of fragrant white flowers with an unmistakable cinnamon scent bloom reliably from June through August, creating a sensory experience that extends far beyond visual appeal. The evergreen foliage remains attractive year-round, and the plant's resilience in zones 8 through 10 makes it dependable even when winter temperatures occasionally dip into the low teens, though some lower leaf loss may occur in severe cold. Butterflies and other pollinators visit consistently throughout the growing season, turning this shrub into a living magnet for garden visitors.
Clethra pringlei excels as a hedge plant, where its evergreen foliage and generous flowers create a living screen that also attracts pollinators. Its fragrant blooms and ability to grow in partial shade make it valuable in mixed borders and woodland gardens where it can thrive beneath the dappled light of taller trees.
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“Clethra pringlei comes to us from Mexico, where it grows naturally in its native habitat. The species epithet honors Cyrus Gurnsey Pringle, an American botanist and plant collector who lived from 1838 to 1911 and made significant contributions to botanical science and exploration. The genus name itself derives from the ancient Greek klethra, the name given to alder trees, a reference to the resemblance between Clethra's foliage and that of alders.”