VANILLA SPICE summersweet (or sweet pepperbush) is a cultivar of a deciduous shrub that is native to the eastern US. Its name is derived from the prolific fragrant white flowers that appear at the height of summer and that attract butterflies and birds. The flowers are produced on vertical flower spikes up to a foot long.

The shrub grows to 6 feet high and wide depending on the location and growing conditions. Summersweet is tolerant of a range of garden conditions, including shade, damp soils, and clay. It flowers on new wood, so prune in late winter. This versatile plant is suitable for borders, screens, or as a specimen plant.