Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
native
Other Names:
Wild Allspice, Benjamin Bush
Spicebush is a common native shrub found throughout Virginia. It is the favorite plant of the Spicebush Swallowtail and the Promethea Silkmoth (sometimes called the Spicebush Silkmoth). It is popular with numerous species of birds, and many animals feed on the leaves, twigs, and berries. Spicebush does not have commercial applications, but it has been used to alleviate various medical conditions. The leaves are aromatic when crushed. Early land surveyors looked for spicebush, because they thought it indicated that land would be good for agriculture.
Identification Tools
Illinois Wildflowers
Missouri Botanical Garden
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Ranges
![Spicebush](../images/spicebush1.jpg)
Spicebush leaves
![Spicebush](../images/spicebush2.jpg)
Spicebush in bloom
![Spicebush](../images/spicebush3.jpg)
Spicebush branches in bloom in the spring
![Spicebush](../images/spicebush4.jpg)
Spicebush branches in bloom
![Spicebush](../images/spicebush5.jpg)
Spicebush flower clusters on a branch
![Spicebush](../images/spicebush6.jpg)
Spicebush flower clusters
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