Sixteen Candles summersweet is derived from a deciduous shrub native to the eastern US. 'Sixteen Candles' has very fragrant white flowers that appear in mid-summer and attract butterflies and hummingbirds, along with other insects and birds. The flowers are produced on vertical flower spikes about 6 inches long that protrude from the glossy green foliage.

'Sixteen Candles' is a compact rounded shrub growing slowly to 4-5 feet high and 2-3 feet wide and is suitable for borders, screens or as a specimen plant. Summersweet is tolerant of a range of garden conditions including shade, damp soils and clay and it flowers on new wood, so prune in late winter. Because it can tolerate shade it is also useful as an understory planting as long as the soil is kept moist, especially when establishing. It suckers so unless a natural appearance is desired the suckers should be removed.