Woolly summersweet is a deciduous shrub native to the south-eastern US. It has white flowers that appear in mid summer and attract butterflies and hummingbirds, along with other insects and birds. The flowers are produced on woolly flower spikes up to 6 inches long that protrude from the dark green foliage.

Woolly summersweet is a medium height shrub growing to about 6-8 feet high and 6 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 will sucker so unless a natural appearance is desired the suckers should be removed.