Summersweet Pollen Color, Bloom Season and Bee Forage

Visual guideSummersweet pollen

Photo: Sten Porse · CC BY-SA 3.0

Plant Facts

SeasonSummer

USDA Zone3 - 9

Plant TypeShrub

ForagePollen and nectar

Pollen ValueMedium

Nectar ValueMedium

Color FamilyOrange and amber

Scientific NameClethra alnifolia

Common NamesSummersweet, August flower, Soap bush, Sweet pepper bush, Sweet pepperbush, Coastal sweet-pepperbush

Native RegionsEastern North America

Range StatusNative to eastern North America, especially moist coastal and wetland habitats.

Color ConfidenceModerate

Color MethodA beekeeper plant-forage reference describes Clethra alnifolia pollen as yellow; the digital swatch is approximate.

Reviewed2026-10-11

Quick Answer

Summersweet pollen is shown in this guide as an orange and amber tone. It is listed as shrub, associated with summer bloom timing, USDA zone 3 - 9, and pollen and nectar forage value.

Pollen Color Notes

The visual color shown for Summersweet is grouped broadly with orange and amber pollen tones. It is intended for comparison and identification support, not as a laboratory measurement.

Pollen color is highly variable. Lighting, pollen age, moisture, collection method, cultivar, and local growing conditions can all change how pollen appears. Use this as general visual guidance, not a scientific color standard or guaranteed field match.

Bloom, Zone, and Forage Context

Summersweet is listed for summer. The record lists USDA zone 3 - 9; hardiness zones are planning context, not a precise flowering calendar. Approximate bloom months in the supplemental notes: July, August.

Its forage type is pollen and nectar, with pollen value marked as medium and nectar value marked as medium. Its fragrant midsummer flowers provide pollen and nectar in moist gardens, wetland edges, and coastal-plain habitats.