Japanese Spice Bush Lindera obtusiloba
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- lin-DER-ah ob-tew-sil-o-ba
- Description
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Japanese Spicebush is a herbaceous shrub or small tree from Asia generally growing 10-15 feet tall and wide. The leaves are variable and can have 1-3 lobes or none. In fall the color is a bright yellow lasting for several weeks. The shrub is either male or female so fruits are produced on female shrubs only.
Japanese Spicebush isn't picky about soil types but prefers moist well-drained soils in full to partial sun. It does best in acid to neutral pHs. Use in shrub borders or as a specimen.
- 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:
- obtusiloba
- Family:
- Lauraceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Young leaves are fried and used as a Buddhist ceremonial dish
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Edibility:
- Young buds and leaves used in teas.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
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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
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Description:
- small red fruit that turns black on female plants.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Umbel
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Greenish-yellow flowers without petals in umbels in spring
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, leathery, lustrous dark green leaves; 2.5 to 5 in. long; brilliant golden yellow fall color. Ovate, cordate at base, margins entire or 1, 2, or 3 lobed.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Corky Ridges
- Stem Description:
- Branchlets yellow-green, smooth and striate when young. With age become brown and scurfy with corky lenticels
