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Calycanthus floridus  'Michael Lindsey'
Eastern Sweet Shrub, Carolina Allspice, Strawberry Shrub, Spicebush, Sweet Betsy, Sweet shrub, Sweet Bubby Bush

Photo by David J. Stang

Sweetshrub, or Carolina Allspice, is a deciduous woody shrub six to ten feet in height and equally wide, famous for its heady aromas. In nature it is found on streamsides and in moist woodlands from Western NC into Tennessee and south into Alabama (Southern Appalachians and Piedmont), but being an old timey landscape plant, it is also found in many old Southern gardens and yards. Sweetshrub is densely branched, with opposite, leathery, leaves which are aromatic in their own right and turning golden in late autumn. The plant also produces fragrant, upright, long-lasting burgundy-red flowers in early summer which develop into pendulous, wrinkly brown seed pods in fall. Though Sweetshrub thrives in partial shade, flowering and aroma are greatest when grown in full sun — but full sun also increases the suckering nature of this species. Siting the plant in partial to full shade will hold back its growth rate. Seedlings in nature vary greatly in the quality and strength of the fragrance. To avoid obtaining a less desirable individual, one can purchase a vegetatively propagated cultivar such as ‘Michael Lindsey”. We offer this cultivar because the dark flowers are exceptionally fragrant and reliably so, and foliage is darker and shinier than the species. Its form is dense and compact. Fall color is bright yellow. It is also of fully native genetics, whereas several cultivars in the market today are hybrids with partially exotic, usually Asian, heritage. The USDA plant distribution map linked below is for the species.

Last Updated: May 15, 2019

Key Info

Scientific Name: Calycanthus floridus L. cv. 'Michael Lindsey
Common Names: Eastern Sweet Shrub, Carolina Allspice, Strawberry Shrub, Spicebush, Sweet Betsy, Sweet shrub, Sweet Bubby Bush
Family Name: Calycanthaceae (Calycanthus or Sweet Shrub Family)
Plant Type: Tree / Shrub
Uses: Naturalizing, landscape specimen
Light Requirement: Full sun, Partial/sunny, Partial/shady
Moisture Requirement: Medium, Moist well drained
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Bloom Times: Apr, May, Jun, Jul
Flower Color: Burgundy red
Special Characteristics: Rhizomatous, Tolerates drought, Flowers fragrant, Leaves fragrant, Reported to be deer resistant.

Additional Info

Habit: Upright shrub with multiple stems and rounded habit
Height: 6'-10'
Spread: 6'-12'
Growth Rate: Moderate, determined by light and moisture availability
Soil Conditions: adaptable to acid, neutral and alkaline pH; prefers moist, deep loam
Leaves: Opposite, dark green oval-shaped leaves have a waxy/leathery texture; leaves turn yellow in the fall.
Flowers (or reproductive structures): 1-2 inch, dark red with undifferentiated petals and sepals (called tepals) producing no nectar.
Fruit: Brown seeds in a 3-inch, pendulous, dry, brown seed pod ripening in late fall (Oct./Nov.)
Natural Distribution: Open woods, wood edges, stream banks
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
USDA Wetland Indicator Status in NC: FACU
Pollination: Mostly beetles, but also bees, butterflies, other insects
Wildlife Connections: Insects are attracted to the various fruity aromas of twigs, leaves and flowers, and birds follow the insects. Dense branching above furnishes nesting habitat, and low branches provide cover for ground-nesting birds and small mammals.
Pharmacology: seeds are poisonous if ingested in very large quantities.
Downside: This shrub can be aggressive grower/colonizer in full sun with adequate moisture.
Propagation: The jury is out on stem cuttings, but root sprouts can be potted up.
USDA/NRCS Plant Distribution Map: View Map at USDA.gov

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Cure Nursery is a small nursery propagating and selling native plants for the Southeastern U.S. We are located near the town of Pittsboro, Chatham County, in central NC.

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