Native Plant Highlight! Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Marisa Prevatt
Oct 8, 2020
2 min read

This post highlights the Lindera benzoin, commonly called Spicebush, Common Spicebush, Northern Spicebush, Wild Allspice, or Benjamin bush. The Spicebush is a deciduous shrub that is native to eastern North America. It grows in the understory in moist, rich woods. Let's delve into this native Michigan shrub and why you should choose it for your woodland/shaded landscape.

One of my first adventures outside of the house after being in COVID-19 lockdown for months was an outdoor shopping trip to our local greenhouse nursery. It was nice to be out and about doing my favorite thing, shopping for new additions to our garden! That day I was on the hunt for something specific, a Spicebush! They are dioecious, meaning some plants are male some are female. You must have one of each sex for the female to produce fruit, beautiful red berries. I purchased two that day; I am hoping we got lucky and have one of each! If not, we will have to add opposite sex shrub so we can get those beneficial berries! We planted them on the southeast side of our property that is primarily a full shade area. They get the morning sun and then are shaded most of the day by a Red Oaktree.

In the spring, they produce numerous yellow flowers because of this it's sometimes referred to as Wild Forsythia. These shrubs will provide food to pollinators and birds in the form of nectar & berries and will host to Spicebush Swallowtail & Eastern Swallowtail caterpillars. It's multifunctional purpose is the exact reason I selected them as the new additions for the full shade area of our backyard. What was once a barren lawn now serves an important role in our local ecosystem. As I sit at my desk writing this post, the morning sun is shining bright and lighting up the beautiful yellow leaves on our Spicebushes. I attempted to capture the beautiful yellow fall hues in a photo but it doesn't do these beauties justice. I love the color, structure, and LIFE they have brought this section of our backyard. If you have a shaded area of your property that you are looking to plant in, consider adding a few Spicebushes! Visit this page for local and online nurseries, click here. While this shrub can get upwards of 6' -12' in height and width, it is a slow grower, and its size can be easily managed with regular pruning. See below for more details.