Tap card to flip
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
ShrubSpicebush
Lindera benzoin
Tap to flip backGrowing Conditions
Light
Part Sun – Shade
Water
Moist – Medium
Soil
Loam
Size
6-12'
Bloom
Yellow, Mar–Apr
Why Grow It
Early Bloomer
Blooms early, providing critical spring nectar
Caterpillar Host
Feeds caterpillars of native moths & butterflies
Fragrant
Enjoy its lovely natural scent
Did You Know?
Sole host plant for the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly — caterpillars roll leaves into shelters.
Tiny yellow flowers appear before any leaves — one of the first signs of spring.
Scratch a twig for a spicy, citrusy fragrance — used as a seasoning in colonial times.
Wildlife Value
🦋
Swallowtail Nursery
Essential larval host for the beautiful Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly
🐦
Fall Berry Feast
Bright red berries are high-fat fuel for migrating birds in fall
Good Companions
🌸 Witch Hazel
🌿 Wild Ginger
⭐ Christmas Fern
Planting Guide
- Plant in part shade to shade in moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil
- Space 6–8″ apart; naturally understory shrub in moist woodlands
- Need male and female plants for berry production; minimal pruning needed
Plant Details
Made with ♥ by Lu Li