Geographic range and origin: Native to America, Northern Spicebush is located in eastern part of the United States with a distribution range from Florida to Main and into Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
Habitat: Northern Spicebush habitats in moisture rich environments such as streamsides and swamps but have been found in some drier deciduous woodlands. They are known as an understory species and can tolerate shade with a small amount of sunlight.
Description: Northern Spicebush is a deciduous shrub but can reach the height of a small tree, the mature height is between 1-3(-5) meters tall. This plant blooms in the spring with small, yellow clustered flowers with showing reproductive parts. The leaves emerge after the flowers begin to die off; they are glossy, simple, alternating and oblong with a measurement of 6-14 cm long. The branches and leaves release a sweet-spicy fragrance when they are crushed and the fruits are edible for human consumption but do not provide much nutrition value.
Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) in full bloom (Photo by K. Sexton, 4/3/2018)
Oblong shaped leaves of Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) (Photograph by Krzysztof Ziarnek, 9/1/2016)
Reproduction: Northern Spicebush blooms between March-April with yellow flowers appearing before leaves emerge. They grow in clusters around the nodes of branches from the previous year growth. Individual flowers have radial symmetry, with 6 sepals that resemble petals. Male and female flowers are on separate plants, the male blooms are larger than female flowers, and the female produces the drupes. The fruits that they produce have short stalks, oval shape, glossy red color when ripe, consisting of a single seed and measures from 6-10 mm.
Unopened flower bud of Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) (Photo by K. Sexton, 2/22/2018)
Radial symmetric flowers of Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). Flowers have 6 sepals and occur in clusters (Photo by K. Sexton, 4/3/2018)
Red fruits produced by Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) in late summer, a food source for wildlife
Conservation status: Relatively common, widespread and abundant throughout its natural range
Ecological importance: A variety of 20 bird species and natural wildlife such as deer, rabbits, raccoons, and opossums consume the fruits that Northern Spicebush produces. The spicebush swallowtail (Papilio troilus (L.)) butterfly also uses these shrubs to lay their eggs.
Cultural importance or uses: The Northern Spicebush is used for essential oils and Native Americans used the leaves for tea. Other components of Northern Spicebush have been derived to create drugs such as anti-arthritic, diaphoretic, emetic, and herbal steam.
Nature's Notebook datasheet for monitoring trees and shrubs, developed by the USA National Phenology Network
References:
Nesom, G. 2010. Plant fact sheet for northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, East Texas Plant Materials Center. Nacogdoches, TX 75964. Url: https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_libe3.pdf (Accessed 3/3/2018)
USA National Phenology Network. Nature's Notebook Plants and Animals to Observe: Lindera benzoin. Url: https://www.usanpn.org/nn/Lindera_benzoin (Accessed 5/16/2018)
USDA, National Resources Conservation Service. 2018. Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC, USA. Url: https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=libe3 (Accessed 5/16/2018)
Page created by Kari Sexton, with edits by Christine Small