Clethra acuminata

Clethra acuminata, the mountain pepper bush, is a shrub native to the Appalachian Mountains of the southeastern United States. It has been reported from the states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, primarily from deciduous forests at elevations of 500–1,400 m (1,600–4,600 ft). Clethra acuminata is a native plant to the lower 48 states of the United States. It is an understory shrub found in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States. Other common names of Clethra acuminata include cinnamon clethra, mountain sweetpepperbush, and mountain sweet pepperbush. Clethra acuminata is a distinct species due to its floral and vegetative morphology within the genus. While Clethra acuminata is sometimes misidentified as Clethra alnifolia, they are two distinct species, Clethra acuminata has longer leaves.