Lindera benzoin (Spicebush)

Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume

Spicebush, northern spicebush

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Magnoliidae	Includes magnolias, nutmeg, bay laurel, cinnamon, avocado, black pepper, and many others
Order	Laurales	Trees and shrubs, including bay laurels, cinnamon, avocado, sassafras and others
Family	Lauraceae	Laurel family, mostly tropical evergreens
Genus	Lindera	Honors Johann Linder (1676-1723), a Swedish botanist and physician.
Species	benzoin	From the Arabic vernacular word meaning aromatic gum.

About plant names...

Spicebush, named for the spicy odor its leaves produce when crushed, is a Florida native deciduous shrub. They prefer swamps, stream edges, and low riparian forests. They are now found through much of the eastern United States.

Plants: The rounded shrubs are usually 6-12' (1.8-3.7 m) in size, sometimes becoming a small tree, reaching up to 15' (4.6 m). Bark is thin, and brown or gray-brown.

Leaves: Thick, alternate, entire, obovate, with smooth edges. Leaves are light green and up to 7" (18 cm) × 2½" (7 cm).

Flowers: Dense clusters of yellow-green flowers emerge from branches before leaves appear in the spring. Each flower is ¼" (6.3 mm) around, with six yellow or greenish-yellow sepals. Flowers are dioecious—some plants have male flowers and others have female.

Fruits: Female plants produce bright red oblong drupes up to ½" (1.3 cm) long.

Online References:

Lindera benzoin at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Lindera benzoin on gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org

Lindera benzoin on npsnj.org (Great photos of male and female flowers)

Lindera benzoin at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Lindera benzoin on plants.ces.ncsu.edu

Lindera benzoin on floranorthamerica.org

9/13/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 7 × 4½" (16 × 11 cm)

4/23/2016 · Big Tree/Porcupine Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, Massachusetts

7/28/2017 · Porcupine Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 5 × 3" (12 × 8.4 cm)

10/3/2010 · Dingmans Falls, Dingmans Ferry, Delaware Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania
≈ 9 × 6" (22 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

8/30/2016 · Massachusetts

7/28/2017 · Porcupine Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 4" (14 × 10.0 cm)

10/3/2010 · Dingmans Falls, Dingmans Ferry, Delaware Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania
≈ 21 × 14" (54 × 36 cm) ID is uncertain

Lindera benzoin description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 7 Oct 2021.

9/13/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 8 × 5" (20 × 13 cm)

9/13/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 2½ × 2½" (6.2 × 6.1 cm)

9/13/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 5 × 8" (13 × 20 cm)

7/28/2017 · Porcupine Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 4½ × 4" (11 × 10 cm)

7/28/2017 · Porcupine Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 4 × 7" (11 × 16 cm)

Range: Zones 4b-9a:

About this map...