Southern Spicebush Lindera melissifolia
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Laurus melissifolia
- Phonetic Spelling
- lin-DER-ah meh-LIS-si-FOH-lee-ah
- Description
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Pondberry or Southern Spicebush is a small deciduous, native shrub that belongs to the Laurel family. The shrub's native habitat is typically pond margins, swampy depressions, seasonally flooded wetlands, poorly drained sandy areas, and pinelands. The Pondberry may be found in the North Carolina Coastal Plains in the counties of Bladen, Cumberland, and Sampson. Land clearing, drainage of wetlands, and timber harvesting have lead to this shrub's placement on the endangered species list since 1986.
The Pondberry is a colony-forming shrub and forms pale yellow blooms from March to April prior to its leaves emerging. Female and male flowers are produced on separate plants. Often the shrub forms colonies of all female or all male plants. Red fruits called drupes develop on the female plants and mature by late summer and fall. The shrub may reproduce by rhizomes or by seeds. The seeds are viable for only a short time. Unfortunately, there has been a lack of seedling establishment which has further endangered this species. The dark green leaves and young stems are hairy, and there is an aroma of sassafras especially when fresh leaves are crushed.
Use this plant in native pollinator shady gardens around ponds, bogs, swamps or seasonally flooded areas.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant is susceptible to laurel wilt which is a fungal infection transmitted by the Red Bay Ambrosia Beetle.
- 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:
- melissifolia
- Family:
- Lauraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- USA
- Distribution:
- Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina
- Wildlife Value:
- Pollinated by insects, flies, wasps, and bees. Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly larvae feed on the leaves. Leafcutter bees cut sections of the leaf margins ultimately removing most of the leaf. Berries are eaten by birds such as cardinals and thrashers. The swamp rabbit eats the stems and leaves.
- Edibility:
- When Pondberry was more prevalent, its twigs were sometimes brewed to make tea, and people drank the tea as a spring tonic.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Frequent Standing Water
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruits are bright red, spicy, oval to round, and measure 0.25 to 0.5 inches long. They appear only on the female plants. The fruit typically matures in late summer to fall and often remain on the plant until the leaves have fallen. Each fruit produces one seed. The seeds are dispersed by wildlife either birds or mammals. They can germinate the following spring.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Saucer
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- Tepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flowers appear in March and April before the leaves emerge. The flower is pale to bright yellow, fragrant, 0.25 inches wide, and they appear in clusters of 4-6 flowers. There are separate male and female shrubs. Flowers lack petals and have bright yellow tepals. Staminate flowers have 2 whorls of tepals and 9-12 stamens. Pistillate flowers have one whorl of tepals and an inner whorl of scales that produce nectar. The Pondberry flowers tend to appear in the second or fourth year of the growth of the shrub.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Soft
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The Pondberry leaves smell like sassafras or root beer when crushed. The leaves are thin, simple, alternate, drooping, dark green, and have toothless margins. They appear oval and then taper to a sharp pointed tip. They measure 2 to 6 inches long and 1.2 to 2.4 inches wide. They are widest at the middle or just below the middle of the leaf. There are netted veins on both sides of the leaf, but the soft slightly hair surface is only on the undersides.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Bark Description:
- The bark is dark brown to dark gray. It is aromatic when bruised.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- Yes
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The stems are narrow, reddish-brown to gray. Initially, the surface is hairy and later appears smooth.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Pond
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Water Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heavy Shade
- Wet Soil
