Spicebush – Lindera benzoin

• Spicebush. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].

Nomenclature:

• Lindera benzoin
• Family: Lauraceae

Botany and Ecology:

• Size: 6’ -12’ height by 6’ – 12’ spread
• Hardiness: zone 4-9

• Distribution:
• United States: AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WV
• Canada: ON

Uses:

• Edible:
• Young leaves, twigs, and fruit make fragrant teas
• Dried and powdered fruit is a substitute for the spice ‘allspice’
• Medicinal:
• Bark is used to treat coughs and colds
• Oil from fruit is used to treat rheumatism and bruise
• Tea made from the twigs treats colds, fevers, colic, and worms
• Other:
• Leaves contain a small amount of camphor and can be used as an insect repellent
• Twigs and bark produce an oil smelling like wintergreen
• Can be used to attract birds in landscaping

Conservation:

• Conservation status: Secure.
• http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Lindera+benzoin+. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].

Markets and Vendors:

• Forest Farm. [n.d.]. Lindera benzoin. http://www.forestfarm.com/search/closeup.asp?PlantID=libe060. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].
• Lazy S’s Farm. [n.d.]. Lindera benzoin. http://www.lazyssfarm.com/Plants/Shrubs/J-L Shrubs/shrubs_trees_J-L.htm. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].
• Rare Find Nursery. [n.d.]. Lindera benzoin. http://www.rarefindnursery.com/index.cfm/action/productdetail/product_id/4950.htm. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].
• White Oak Nursery. [n.d.]. Lindera benzoin. http://www.whiteoaknursery.biz/seedling_05.html. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].

Sources:

• Botanic Gardens. 2008. http://ag.udel.edu/udbg/shrubs/l_benzoin.html. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].
• NatureServe. 2008. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Lindera+benzoin+. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].
• Plants for a Future. 2002. http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Lindera+benzoin&CAN=LATIND. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].
• Wildman Steve Brill. http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Spicebush.html. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].
• All Creatures. 2008. http://www.all-creatures.org/pica/ftshl-spicebush.html. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].
• HORT. http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/l/linben/linben1.html. [Date Accessed: July 17, 2008].