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Red fruit of spicebush (Lindera benzoin).Dan Keck from Ohio, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fruit of Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)Dan Keck from Ohio, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) in flowerDan Keck from Ohio, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Spicebush Swallowtail (Papillio troillus) on a leafSpicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) -- Kaldari, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillarNCBioTeacher, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

(Lindera benzoin)
Spicebush

Host Plant: Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)

Flower Color: Yellow

Growth Habit: Deciduous shrub that grows 6-12 feet tall

Range in North America: Eastern North America

Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Hardiness: Zones 4-9

Soil Requirements: moist soil

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Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Shrub of spicebush (Lindera benzoin) in a park.

Shrub of Spicebush — Dan Keck from Ohio, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Alternative Names

Northern Spicebush and Wild Allspice

Description of Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), a member of the Laurel Family (Lauraceae), is an understory tree that grows from 15 to 30 feet high. It has yellow flowers in the spring and a red fruit that is eaten by birds in the late summer and fall.

More information about this shrub can be found at this blog post.

Hosted Species

Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)

Spicebush swallowtail butterfly on lavender flower.
Spicebush Swallowtail — ALAN SCHMIERER, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nectar Species

Many birds eat the fruits of this tree.

Habitat

This shrub grows in the understories of bottomland mixed hardwood forests.

Range of Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) in the United States and Canada

Range map of Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) in the United States and Canada.

Interesting Facts

The genus name, Lindera, is named for Johann Linder, a Swedish botanist.  The species names, benzoin, is Arabic for aromatic gum (Missouri Botanical Garden).

Native Location

Ontario, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9

Exposure Requirements

Full Sun, Part Shade/Part Sun

Plant Habit

Shrub, Tree

Soil Requirements

Medium, Moist

Hosted Species

Papilio troilus (Spicebush Swallowtail)

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