The Spicebush Works Well in a Woodland Garden or Shrub Border

The spicebush (Lindera benzoin) adds a spicy rich fragrance to your garden. This multi-stem shrub can grow up to 6-12 feet high and wide and takes on a rounded form. It prefers a sunny location and produces dense foliage, but it is most often found in the wild as an understory plant. The spicebush grows in Zones 4 to 9.

The spicebush likes moist soil and sunny to partly shady locations. It thrives in sandy, well drained soils. However, this shrub will accommodate a wide variety of soil and sun conditions. This is a slow growing shrub with few pest or disease problems. Fall tends to be the best time to plant a spicebush.

The spicebush is one of the first bushes to flower in the spring, usually in March or April. The flowers are rather small and yellow with a hint of green. They cluster along the bare branches, signaling that the end to the cold season is close.

The leaves are a bright green during the growing season and change to shades of yellow in the fall. The spicebush leaves emit a spicy odor when rubbed or broken. The leaves can reach 5 inches in length. Deer are attracted to the leaves as well as the twigs, so this bush should be grown in a protected area.

Only the female plants produce fruit, a bright red berry that appears in September and October. The berries are a favorite of the many birds, including Robin, Bobwhite, Gray Catbird, Eastern Kingbird, and Great Crested Flycatcher.

The spicebush has a long history in the United States. Steve Brill, who writes extensively about foraging for food, has good things to say about the spicebush. The ripe, red berries can be finely chopped and used as a seasoning that resembles allspice. They compliment the taste of cooked apples. The twigs and green leaves are used to make a tea that can help to rid the body of toxins.

The spicebush is shelter to many small animals such as squirrels, chipmunks, and birds. The plant is a good food source for the caterpillar of the swallowtail butterfly, as well as bees. This is a good shrub to add to an area intended to attract neighborhood wildlife. It is commonly planted shrub borders, woodland gardens, shade gardens, and near water sources.

When purchasing a spicebush, check the name carefully as there are related plants such as Lindera melissifolia and Lindera subcoriacea. Although this plant can be seen growing throughout much of the United State, do not dig a spicebush growing in the wild. The bush is available commercially.

Sources
Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia, http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/spicebush.htm
Wild Man Steve Brill, http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Spicebush.html
Nature Hills Nursery, http://www.naturehills.com/product/spice_bush.aspx