Lindera erythrocarpa
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- lin-DER-ah er-ee-throw-KAR-puh
- Description
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Red-Fruit Spicebush is a large, flowering, deciduous, shrub or small tree in the laurel family and native to China, Korea, and Japan. Red-Fruit Spicebush has gray bark, papery greenish-white leaves that turn bright yellow in the fall, and abundant yellow-green male and female flowers. Flowering occurs in late spring to early summer and is followed by fruit from the female plants in the form of ornamental, round, red pomes that mature in October.
Grow in average, moist, well-drained soils in sun to partial shade. Red-Fruit Spicebush is a warm-temperate woodland species and does not do well with drought and limy soils.
It can be used as a small shade tree, a specimen or shrub borders. The red fruit and yellow leaves in the fall make this a seasonal ornamental.
Red-Fruit Spicebush, left to its own devices, can mature to a 16 foot small tree; however, it can be trained to a smaller, single trunk tree. The flowers of the Red-Fruit Spicebush are produced after the foliage expands, making them much less conspicuous.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lindera
- Species:
- erythrocarpa
- Family:
- Lauraceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Like many lindera species it has been used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and Southern China, Korea, Southern Japan, and Tiawan.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Pome
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Round red fruits mature in October. Fruits are 0.3 inches in diameter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Tepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Clusters of small yellow-green flowers in May and June with 6 petals. Male flowers have six, yellow-green tepals pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Female flowers are rather small with six tepals, pubescent inside and out.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Papery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Obovate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, leathery, lustrous dark green leaves; 21/2 to 5 inches long. Undersides have a few silky hairs. Brilliant golden yellow fall color. Leaf bladed are usually oblanceolate, occasionally obovate, papery, and greenish white.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Gray/Silver
- White
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Corky Ridges
- Stem Description:
- Young branchlets are usually gray-white or gray-yellow with many lenticellate. Scabrous from corky ridges.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Small Space
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Flowering Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Songbirds
