How to identify Northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

How to identify Northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Northern spicebush, also known as Benjamin bush, Common spicebush

Northern spicebush is a medium-sized deciduous shrub reaching heights of 8 to 15 feet (2.4 to 4.6 meters). Its leaves are arranged alternately, with smooth edges, and emit a spicy fragrance when crushed. Speckled with light lenticels, the bark displays a brown to gray-brown hue. Before the emergence of leaves, yellow flowers bloom in clusters. The shrub yields a bright red drupe, which offers a peppery flavor and aroma upon maturation in autumn. Notably, northern spicebush is dioecious, requiring both male and female plants for fruit production, and features vibrant yellow foliage in the fall.

Lifespan: Perennial

Plant Type: Shrub

Leaf Type: Deciduous

Quickly Identify Northern spicebush

Medium-sized shrub reaching 8-15 feet (2.4-4.6 meters) in height.

Leaves emit spicy fragrance when crushed and turn vibrant yellow in fall.

Clusters of greenish-yellow, aromatic flowers blooming before foliage.

Bright scarlet red drupes measuring 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) in width.

Slender stem with smooth texture, exuding spicy fragrance when crushed.

Detailed Traits of Northern spicebush

Leaf Features

The leaves of northern spicebush are thick, alternate, and oblong-obovate in shape. Each leaf can reach up to 5 inches (12.7 cm) in length. They exhibit a light green color during the growing season, turning an attractive yellow in autumn. The leaves are aromatic with a spicy fragrance when crushed. Their texture is smooth, and their vein pattern is pinnate, featuring a prominent central vein with smaller veins branching out.

Leaf Shape

Ovate ,

Obovate

Leaf Base

Cuneate

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate

Leaf Apex

Acuminate ,

Acute

Leaf Texture

Papyraceous

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Flower Features

Northern spicebush produces clusters of tiny, greenish-yellow, aromatic flowers, blooming along the branches in early spring (March-April) before the foliage appears. These apetalous flowers are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are on separate plants, with the male flowers being larger and more prominent. Female flowers develop into bright red drupes, visible only after the leaves fall. The flowers typically measure less than 0.25 inches (6 mm) in diameter.

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Stem Features

Northern spicebush's stem is slender and twigs are greenish when young, later becoming brownish-gray with age. The stem features a smooth texture characteristic of the Lauraceae family. Typically, its diameter ranges from 0.4 to 0.8 inches (1 to 2 cm). The branches emerge alternately, creating a loose and open crown. When crushed, the stem exudes a distinctive spicy fragrance, contributing to its unique identification traits.

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Fruit Features

The fruit of northern spicebush is a drupe, appearing scarlet red and possessing a spicy scent. Emerging in late summer to early fall (August-September), it is about 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) wide. This vibrant and aromatic fruit is distinctive and easily recognizable during its fruiting season.

Learn About the Fruit Glossary

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Northern spicebush and Their Similar Plants

Japanese spicebush vs. Northern spicebush: What's The Difference?

The japanese spicebush is a flowering herbaceous shrub that is endemic to several Asian countries. It is traditionally used as a medicinal herb in Southeast Asian countries. In early spring, it produces small, yellow flowers with a spicy aroma. The RHS awarded this plant the Garden Merit Award.

Spicebush vs. Northern spicebush: What's The Difference?

Spicebush is a small tree native to the eastern US. Its twigs contain a strong aromatic oil, while its fruits have been used to make teas and syrups. It is also a favorite food source for the spicebush swallowtail butterfly.

Lindera angustifolia vs. Northern spicebush: What's The Difference?

Lindera angustifolia is a deciduous shrub hailing from East Asia, featuring slender, willowy branches and lance-shaped leaves that turn vibrant yellow in autumn. Its fragrant yellow flowers bloom in early spring, providing a nectar source for pollinators before many other plants awaken. Adaptable to varied conditions, lindera angustifolia thrives in well-drained soils and wooded landscapes, where its distinctive foliage and bark contribute to its ornamental appeal.

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Key Facts About Northern spicebush

Attributes of Northern spicebush

Lifespan

Perennial

Plant Type

Shrub

Plant Height

1.8 m to 3.5 m

Spread

1.8 m to 3.5 m

Fruit Color

Red

Burgundy

Stem Color

Green

Yellow

Leaf type

Deciduous

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Scientific Classification of Northern spicebush

Phylum

Vascular plants

Class

Dicotyledons

Order

Laurels, spicebushes and allies

Family

Laurel

Genus

Spicewoods

Species

Northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

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Distribution Map of Northern spicebush

Northern spicebush is native to the central and eastern United States and Ontario, Canada. Its preferred ecosystem is the understory of moist woods with a variety of plants, rich soil, and exposed limestone.

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

Learn More About the Northern spicebush

A Comprehensive Guide to Northern spicebush How to Grow and Care for Northern spicebush