Copy permalink to share

Lindera benzoin (Linnaeus) Blume. Common name: Northern Spicebush, Benzoin, Benjamin-bush. Phenology: Mar-Apr; Aug-Sep. Habitat: Rich alluvial forests, mesic forests on slopes with circumneutral soils, bottomlands, swamps. Distribution: ME, s. ON, and MI, south to Panhandle FL and e. TX; disjunct in Edwards Plateau of c. TX.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Some floristic treatments recognize two varieties based on whether the leaves and young twigs are pubescent (var. pubescens) or not (var. benzoin) but the varieties so recognized overlap broadly in distribution; it seems best to regard this as mere variation within the species.

Other Comments: Where occurring on upland slopes, L. benzoin is an excellent indicator of base-rich soils, generally derived from calcareous sedimentary rocks or mafic metamorphic or igneous rocks.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Can, Fl2, FNA3, GrPl, GW2, K4, Mi, Mo3, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WH3, WV, Wofford (1983); = Benzoin aestivale (L.) Nees — S, S13; = Benzoin benzoin (L.) J.M.Coult.; = Laurus benzoin L. > Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume var. benzoin — AqW, C, F, G, Il; > Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume var. pubescens (E.J.Palmer & Steyerm.) Rehder — C, F, G, Il, NcTx, Tx. Basionym: Laurus benzoin L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Lindera benzoin - FNA3

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)

Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
  • Great Plains: FACW
  • Midwest: FACW
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACW

Heliophily ⓘ: 3

Your browser does not support SVGs

Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.

image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© margaretcurtin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Janet Wright, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Janet Wright source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© abelkinser, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Sequoia Janirella Wrens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sequoia Janirella Wrens source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Shaun Pogacnik, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Shaun Pogacnik source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© margaretcurtin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Eric M Powell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric M Powell source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Collectors SOS | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Collectors SOS | Original Image ⭷

Feedback

See something missing or incorrect about Lindera benzoin? Let us know here:

  1. Please include your name and if possible, email in case when need to clarify what you wrote.
  2. If you opt out of including email, please be as specific as possible (e.g., which photo is incorrect?)
  3. Please do not submit questions asking to identify plants or about horticultural topics (e.g., how do I control an invasive plant in my garden?). Instead, those questions can be submitted here for the Carolinas region only.
  4. Please do not send us feedback about unkeyed species as this work is ongoing.
  5. Please allow time for flora edits to show in our next data release. We greatly appreciate your feedback but may require extra time to research complicated taxonomic issues.

Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro:

Stems:

Leaves:

Inforescence:

Flowers:

Fruits:

Comments:

Height: 6-9 ft.

plant sale text: Smooth northern spicebush is a welcome harbinger of spring, featuring axillary clusters of tiny yellow flowers before the leaves appear. Female plants produce red fruits in the autumn. All parts of the plant have a lemon scent when broken, hence its common name of spicebush. Rarely offered for sale, though it is easy to grow in average to moist soil. Host plant for spicebush butterflies and supports up to 9 species of lepidoptera. Used medicinally by several tribes. Its red berries are important food for birds during fall migration.

bloom table text: Smooth northern spicebush is a welcome harbinger of spring, featuring axillary clusters of tiny yellow flowers before the leaves appear. Female plants produce red fruits in the autumn. All parts of the plant have a lemon scent when broken, hence its common name of spicebush. Rarely offered for sale, though it is easy to grow in average to moist soil. Host plant for spicebush butterflies and supports up to 9 species of lepidoptera. Used medicinally by several tribes. Its red berries are important food for birds during fall migration.

description:

stems:

leaves:

inflorescence:

flowers:

fruits:

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern North America



0 unsaved edits on this page.