Lindera benzoin, Spicebush, Shrub, Quart or Gallon pot

Lindera benzoin, Spicebush

PS, Zone 4, wet to medium, blooms April to May, 8’ - 12’ x 6’- 8’ deer and rabbit resistant.

The spicebush, named for its spicy, fragrant leaves and stems, is native to moist woodlands in the Midwest. It becomes a large, 5- to 8’-tall shrub that is slightly wider than tall. In nature it grows in woods, ravines, valleys and along streams. Its leaves are the preferred food for the black and blue spicebush swallowtail butterfly larvae. The bright red berries that ripen from July through October, which have an exceptionally high fat content, are quickly eaten by various species of birds. The green foliage turns to an attractive bright gold in the fall. This small attractive tree which is extremely hardy and requires little maintenance, is a must for wildlife gardens.

Attracts a wide variety of native bees, honeybees, wasps, flies and butterflies in the spring to its flowers for nectar. It is the host plant for the Spicebush Swallowtail and it’s berries are an important food source for migratory birds.