Sweet Shrub Calycanthus floridus
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Sweet Shrub:
- Phonetic Spelling
- kal-ee-KAN-thus FLOR-id-us
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Calycanthus floridus, commonly called Carolina allspice, is a dense, rounded deciduous native shrub with a suckering habit which grows 6-12' tall with an equal or slightly greater spread. It blooms in early spring before leaves emerge, with the leaves, and sporadically thereafter.
Sweetshrub grows best in average, medium, well-drained soil in anywhere from full sun to deep shade. It prefers some shade in hot summer afternoons and it will grow somewhat taller in shade than in sun. It is tolerant of a wide range of soil textures and pH but prefers rich loams. It can tolerate brief periods of flooding, but it struggles in sandy soil and drought conditions. It's even tolerant to cold and heat, insect and disease pests, fire, and deer. Prune immediately after flowering to shape or maintain compactness. It tends to sucker and often forms colonies in the wild. Remove root suckers promptly if naturalization is not desired.
It is best to purchase this plant when in flower because the quality and intensity of the fragrance can vary widely from plant to plant. Also commonly called sweetshrub and strawberry bush in reference to the fragrant blooms which have been described as combining hints of pineapple, strawberry and banana. The aroma is stronger in higher temperatures. Further common name of hairy allspice is in reference to the hairy twigs and leaf undersides of this plant.
TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN.
Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating.
Quick ID Hints:
- Solitary maroon flowers on short axillary shoots
- Bark of deciduous shrub is aromatic when bruised
- Flowers are fruit-scented
- Leaves are opposite, grey-green & pubescent underneath
Tolerant cold, heat; soil adaptable; pH adaptable; tolerates full sun or shade; intolerant drought; relatively pest/disease free
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Sloped Front Yard
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Athens'
- 'Edith Wilder'
- 'Katherine'
- 'Athens'
- 'Athens', 'Edith Wilder' , 'Katherine'
- Tags:































- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Athens'
- 'Edith Wilder'
- 'Katherine'
- 'Athens'
- 'Athens', 'Edith Wilder' , 'Katherine'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Calycanthus
- Species:
- floridus
- Family:
- Calycanthaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Pennsylvania to SE. U.S.A
- Distribution:
- AL , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , KY , LA , MA , MD , MS , NC , NY , OH , PA , SC , TN , VA , WV
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Butterflies nectar at the blooms. Other insects also feed at the flowers, especially beetles.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Fragrance
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer resistant, resistant to fire in landscape.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- 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)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- An urceolate capsule, brown and leathery, enclosing multiple 1-seeded achenes. Displays from August to September
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Colored Sepals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Very fragrant 2 inches wide brown to reddish-brown flowers that bloom at the ends of short branchlets. The sepals and petals are similar. Blooms from April to May. The fragrance is only present the first day the flower opens.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Lustrous, dark green to gray-green leaves that turn golden yellow in fall. Undersides are paler with dense hairs. The leaves are opposite, simple, rough to the touch and aromatic when bruised. The shape is oval or oblong, the tip is acute or acuminate or (rarely) obtuse, and bases are cuneate.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Lenticels
- Bark Description:
- Thin, lenticeled, and fragrant.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- Yes
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Pith (Split Longitudinally):
- Continuous homogeneous
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stout, gray-brown, glabrous, aromatic when bruised; pith large, white, somewhat hexagonal, continuous.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Predatory Insects
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Diseases
- Fire
- Heat
- Insect Pests