Say hello to Spicebush, the sassy native shrub that’s pure flirt, zero fuss, and the undisputed queen of mid-Atlantic forests! In early spring, twinkly pale-gold flowers sparkle across bare branches. Snip a twig or rub a leaf and bam!, a citrus-spice perfume floods the air, proving that sometimes a name is more than just a name. Spicebush is perfect for damp shady corners, stream banks, or woodland hideaways, where it will sit demurely with its glossy green leaves all summer before bursting into golden fireworks come fall. As a dioecious plant, only the female plants produce the delightful juicy red berries that wink sweetly at hungry birds. Deer and rabbits catch one whiff of that bold, zesty scent and hightail it away, leaving Spicebush to keep dazzling the rest of us without a single nibble.
Conditions: Part sun to part shade; moist to medium soil
Size: 6’-12' tall, 6’-12’ wide
Zone: 4 - 9
Wildlife Value: Larval host for Spicebush Swallowtail and Promethea Silkmoth; berries feed songbirds
Photos: Samantha Nestory, David Korbonits, Zane Miller