Meet the Carolina Allspice
Carolina Allspice | Calycanthus floridus
How do you know it’s me?:
I am a medium to large deciduous shrub, with a loose, open form.
I have red to maroon flowers that often produce a sweet, fruity fragrance.
My flowers have many thick overlapping petals that tend to be linear in shape (but differ by variety).
My glossy leaves are opposite with prominent veins, a rough texture, and hairy undersides. They are a wide oval shape, tapering into a sharp point.
My smooth stems are brown-gray in color (sometimes reddish), and aromatic when scratched.
I produce large seed pods after I flower. They are brown and wrinkly.
How big do I grow?: 6’ - 10’ height and 6’ - 12’ spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun to part shade. I prefer part shade in areas with hot afternoon sun.
Where I prefer to put my roots: Average to rich soils, well-drained, of a clay or loam texture. I generally dislike sandy soil and drought conditions.
Hardiness: Zone 4-9
Original home: I am native to the southeastern US.
Colors: Red to maroon flowers and yellow fall foliage color.
When I bloom: Mid spring into summer.
Wildlife friends: My flowers attract butterflies and other insects such as beetles.
Flora Fun Facts: My flowers have a wonderful, fruity fragrance that has been described as some combination of pineapple, strawberry, and/or banana. If you decide to plant me, purchase me while I am flowering, as my scent can differ drastically.
More Info: The Carolina Allspice is a somewhat unassuming plant with unique burgundy blooms that unfurl in mid spring. Everything about this plant seems hardy - from the leathery red flowers to the rough-textured leaves.
A member of the Calycanthaceae family.
Also known as Sweetshrub or Strawberry Bush.
There are also white flowered varieties.
The seeds are poisonous.
Can be pruned immediately after flowering to shape or maintain compactness.
Tends to produce root suckers, which can be removed if naturalization is not desired.
Perfect for a woodland garden, naturalized area, or large shrub screen.
Make great cut flowers, or can be dried and made into potpourri.
