Ruby Spice summersweet is derived from a deciduous shrub native to the eastern U.S. Ruby Spice has prolific, fragrant, pink flowers that appear at the height of summer and attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The flowers are produced on vertical flower spikes up to 6 inches long that protrude from the dark green foliage.

Ruby Spice is a medium height shrub growing slowly to about 6 feet high and 5 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. It will sucker, so unless a natural appearance is desired, the suckers should be removed.