Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

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Division of Forestry
2045 Morse Rd.
Building H1.
Columbus, OH 43229

A deciduous shrub from the Laurel Family (Lauraceae)

4-9
15'
12'
slow to medium
full shade to partial sun
rounded
permanently moist to wet soils
Spicebush, found throughout all of Ohio, is usually found as an understory shrub of moist to wet woodlands that is one of the first shrubs to bloom, usually in late winter. Its twigs and branchlets, when scraped, emit a spicy fragrance.

Bright red fruits appear in late summer and early autumn on female shrubs, and are often quickly eaten by wildlife. Its dark green, glossy foliage, like that of Pawpaw, is unusual for woody plants that can thrive in full shade.

As a native of the Eastern United States, Spicebush can grow to 12 feet tall and 15 feet wide, when found under optimum conditions. As a member of the Laurel Family, it is related to Sassafras and other Spicebushes.