Spice Up Your Garden with Spicebush

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) can be planted as a border shrub in shade or woodland gardens, naturalized areas, rain gardens, and along streams or ponds. Named for the sweet, spicy fragrance when the twigs, leaves, or fruit are crushed, spicebush is native to the eastern United States. Spicebush is a fast-growing deciduous shrub. It has a broad, rounded habit and grows 6 to 12 feet high and wide. In the wild, spicebush is usually found in the shady understory of woodlands; however, it can grow in a range of light conditions including full sun. If planted in a location with full sun, the growth will be denser and less vigorous but with better flowering and fruit production. Highly tolerant of a variety of soil conditions, spicebush is tolerant of clay soils, although it prefers rich, moist soils.  Therefore, if you have a wet area in your yard, spicebush would be a good choice.

Because spicebush has one of the earliest blooming periods, this shrub adds a hint of bright color in the dreary spring landscape.  Clusters of fragrant yellow flowers bloom along the branches in March before the leaves appear.

If you are hoping to add colorful fall foliage, use the spicebush freely. The bright green oval leaves of summer turn golden yellow in the fall, adding beautiful color to the landscape.

As a native shrub, spicebush is an important food source for birds and wildlife.  In the fall, the ripened red berries are a food source for resident and migrant birds, including the wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina). Deer generally do not browse spicebush. Spicebush has separate male and female plants and both bear flowers; however, the female is the only one to produce fruits. So, if your primary interest in spicebush is its benefit to wildlife, plant a group of three to five shrubs to ensure berry production.

Spicebush is also a host plant for the caterpillars of the spicebush swallowtail butterfly (Papilio troilus), the promethea moth (Callosamia promethea) also known as the spicebush moth, and the eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus).  A spicebush in your pollinator garden is an excellent way to attract these three pollinators. 

In addition to providing color to your landscape, benefits to birds and wildlife, spicebush is a low maintenance species that has no serious insect or disease problems. When searching for a shrub to add to your landscape, there are a multitude of reasons to add "spice" to your garden.