Plant Sale 2025 — Lindera benzoin

Lindera benzoin (Spicebush) is a shrub that grows 6 to 12 feet tall. The more sun it gets the brighter the fall foliage but will tolerate even full shade where it will grow wider and airier. It blooms in March, sporting yellow (with a hint of green) clusters before the leaf’s buds open. This plant thrives is moist rich soil and benefits from compost being spread under it (but not against the trunk).

Over 20 species of birds love the big bright red drupes of Lindera benzoin in the fall. It is easy to identify by those drupes, which smell very strongly of black pepper when crushed. This plant is important to both spicebush swallowtail butterflies and the very large and beautiful promethean silk moths making it a great plant for the butterfly garden. It is a host plant for 9 native butterflies and moths. Deer generally do not bother this shrub.

Photos: E.M. Truax