Japanese Clethra, White alder
Clethra barbinervis
Family: Clethraceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows to 3-9 m high. In cultivation it is often only 3 m high. The bark is orange-brown and peeling. The shoots arch outwards. The leaves are dark green. The leaves have strong veins. There are very short hairs on the veins. The flowers appear in clusters at the tips of the branches. The flowers are white and in racemes at the ends of branches.
There are 60-73-120 Clethra species.
Where it is found
It is a warm temperate plant. In China it grows in open, deciduous mountain forests between 800-1,800 m above sea level. It grows in mountain woodlands in Japan. It suits hardiness zones 8-9.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, China (country/location of origin), Europe, Japan, Korea, North America
How it is used for food
The leaves are eaten with oil and salt.
Edible parts
Leaves, shoots
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Ryoubu