Felder Rushing
Family
Calycanthaceae
Botanical Name
CALYCANTHUS floridus
Plant Common Name
Sweetshrub
General Description
Fragrant with scents of fruit and spice, the unusual flowers of Carolina allspice make this shrub an unusual specimen for the garden. A rounded and spreading deciduous shrub, it is native to the extreme southeastern United States, from Virginia to Florida.
Its leaves are oval with a gracefully and elegantly pointed tip, and satiny-green to dark-green with a lighter gray-green underside. As the leaves begin to emerge in spring, the flowers appear on short stems. They open a rich, deep brownish-red or maroon, and look like a stumpy, octopus. Wonderfully fragrant, they release a scent like a a warm, sweet fruit salad. Because there is much variation in the plants that arise from seeds, some flowers can smell more soured and less fruity, others definitely like strawberries. Select a specimen in bloom at the nursery to ensure an appealing fragrance. Pollinated flowers become pear-shaped brown capsules that are also fragrant if broken. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow.
Plant Carolina allspice in any humusy well-drained soil and partial sun or partial shade. It tolerates deeper shade and drier soils, but will not grow as robustly or flower as heavily as a gardener would hope. It is lovely as part of a mixed shrub border or foundation planting, and should be located near a patio or walkway so the fragrance can be noted. Any pruning should be done immediately after flowers fade. There are selection of the species, among them ‘Athens,’ with green-yellow blossoms, ‘Edith Wilder,’ with a perfect fragrance from its maroon flowers, and ‘Michael Lindsey, ’ a smaller, compact plant.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
5 - 9
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Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
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Plant Type
Shrub
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Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Height
6'-10' / 1.8m - 3.0m
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Width
6'-12' / 1.8m - 3.7m
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Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
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Native To
United States, Southeastern United States
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Average
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Soil type
Clay, Loam
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Growth Rate
Fast
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Spreading
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
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Fruit Color
Brown
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Yellow, Yellow Green
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Bark Color
Brown, Chocolate
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
Yes
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Semi-Double
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Glossy
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
