Lindera benzoin

Common Names:

• Spicebush
• Northern Spicebush

Phonetic Spelling:

lin-DAIR-uh ben-ZOY-nuh

Description:

• Appearance: A deciduous shrub with fragrant leaves and small yellow flowers in early spring. Globose buds bloom all across the twigs and later bloom to a golden-yellow clusters in the fall.
• Leaves: Oval, light green leaves that release a spicy aroma when crushed.
• Flowers: Dense tiny, yellow flowers in clusters. Fun Fact: they give off a cinnamony, spicy fragrance when the leaves are crushed!
• Fruits: Bright red, oval berries. Very similar looking to Goji berries that we have in our garden!

Distribution/Location:

Native to the eastern United States, common in moist woodlands. We sometimes grow these for the Irvine Ranch Conservancy or see them while hiking near the OC Parks!

Environmental Benefits:

The berries are a food source for birds, and the shrub provides habitat for wildlife, including insects and small critters. They also turn into a beautiful shade of golden yellow in the fall, decorating the landscape and adding a little “spice” to our community!

Fun Fact:

The Spicebush was a main food source for Native Americans like Creek, Cherokee, Rappahannock, Chippewa, and Miami. They were also adopted in a tea form by European settlers.

Sources:

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=libe3#:~:text=Dense%20clusters%20of%20tiny%2C%20pale,colorful%20golden%2Dyellow%20in%20fall.

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/lindera-benzoin/#:~:text=Spicebush%20is%20a%20deciduous%20shrub,speckled%20with%20light%2Dcolored%20lenticels.

https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/american-spice-bush/#:~:text=Spice%20bush%20berries%20were%20a,adopted%20it%20into%20their%20kitchens.

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/lindera/benzoin