Scientific Name: Lindera benzoin
Common Name: spice bush
Native Range: Eastern United States
Zone: 4 to 9
Plant type & Form: Deciduous shrub with a broad, rounded habit
Height: 6.00 to 12.00 feet
Spread: 6.00 to 12.00 feet
Bloom Time: March
Bloom Description: Greenish-yellow
Flower: Clusters of tiny, apetalous, aromatic, greenish-yellow flowers; dioecious
Fruit: Bright red drupes that mature in the fall
Leaf: Thick, oblong-obovate, light green leaves (up to 5″ long) that turn yellow in the fall
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Soil type & pH: Average, medium, well-drained soils
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Hedge, Rain garden
Tolerates: Deer, Drought, Heavy shade, Clay soil, Wet soil, Black walnut
Notes: The fruit attracts wildlife. The larva of the spicebush swallowtail feeds on the leaves of this shrub.
Identification notes: Look for a medium to large understory shrub with glossy, smooth leaves. The leaves are aromatic when crushed.
Information gathered from Missouri Botanical Garden
