By Laurel Babcock, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County
Yellow flowers of spicebush, Lindera benzoin. (Image credit: Phillip Bouchard CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
This is the next installment in our series, Native Notes, where we explore plants that strengthen local ecosystems and support biodiversity while adding beauty to our Durham County, NC landscapes.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
One shrub that I love to check on in my garden is spicebush (Lindera benzoin). It is a native shrub that brings beauty, fragrance, and wildlife value to my landscape with minimal maintenance. Spicebush belongs to the laurel family (Lauraceae) – the same family as sassafras, bay laurel and avocado. This shows in the plant’s wonderfully aromatic leaves, twigs and fruit. The Piedmont variety found in Durham County is Lindera benzoin var. pubescens.
Appearance
Spicebush is a medium-sized, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub that typically reaches 6 to 15 feet tall and wide. The simple, alternate leaves are oblong with smooth margins. The broken twigs, fruit, and occasionally the leaves give off a lemony-spicy fragrance when crushed or broken, which explains the origin of the name. The Piedmont variety has slightly hairy undersides on the leaves and young twigs, sometimes visible only with a hand lens.
Though the small yellow blooms are fairly insignificant, they are among the earliest flowers in the NC spring and so offer an early food source for awakening pollinators. My spicebush starts blooming toward the end of March and lasts for about a week. The pale flower buds are distinctively ball-shaped and easy to spot on bare branches before the leaves emerge.
Spicebush shrubs are dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female plants. Male plants produce only pollen-bearing flowers. Female plants produce flowers that, if pollinated by a nearby male, develop into bright red berries in late summer to fall. Male flowers are typically fuller and have prominent yellow stamens, while female flowers are smaller and have a central pistil and fewer stamens. Most nurseries do not label their plants by sex, so if the berries are important to you, it’s best to plant several and observe them over time.
Distinguishing features of male and female spicebush. (Image credit: Laurel Babcock)
Come fall, the foliage turns a clear, bright yellow, a lovely addition to the autumn garden. The high-fat red berries, which ripen in late August through September, are eaten eagerly by migratory songbirds as fuel for their fall journeys south.
Habitat and Distribution
Distribution map from Vascular Plants of North Carolina website (Image credit: Laurel Babcock)
This species naturally occurs in the slightly acidic soils of forests, but spicebush also occurs in brown water swamps in higher elevations in North Carolina. It has been found throughout the mountains, Piedmont, and all but a few south-central counties in the coastal plain. It is deer-resistant and suitable for low areas, rain gardens, along wooded creeks, or swales. It is adaptable to a wide pH range and tolerates occasional flooding as well as occasional dry periods, making it a good choice for the variable Durham County weather. It spreads readily by root suckers but can be propagated by growing from seed by collecting ripe red berries in late summer or fall, by softwood cuttings, or by layering.
Spicebush fruits and yellowing leaves approaching fall (Image credit: Matthew Beziat CC BY-NC 2.0)
Even if you don’t know the sex of your plant, you can still enjoy one of the most fascinating things about it: it is a critical host plant for the spicebush swallowtail butterfly (Papilio troilus)! These caterpillars curl up in the leaves and mimic snakes (see false eyespots) for protection! They also change to a deep yellow color after they stop eating leaves.
From left to right: “Spicebush Baby” (Image credit: DrPhotoMoto CC BY-ND 2.0); “Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar” (Image credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Northwest Region, Public Domain Mark 1.0); Spicebush caterpillar after ending leaf consumption (Image credit: Laurel Babcock); “Spicebush Swallowtail female” (Image credit: Anita363 CC BY-NC 2.0).
Spicebush is a true native hero in the Piedmont. It brings four-season interest, supports native butterflies and birds, and thrives in the varied conditions found across central North Carolina. Whether you’re gardening on a city lot or stewarding a woodland edge, this is a plant that will reward you and your local ecosystem for years to come.
Resources and Additional Information
NC Common Wetland Plants Guide: Lindera benzoin
Penn State Extension discussion of spicebush in rain garden settings: Rain Garden Plants: Spicebush
Article shortlink: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-7X0
Edited by Susan Sharp, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County
