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The Northern Spicebush

Introduction to the Spicebush

Planting a spicebush (Lindera benzoin) in your yard is an excellent way to support local ecosystems while enjoying a versatile, low-maintenance shrub. One of its most compelling benefits is its role as a host plant for the spicebush swallowtail butterfly. These butterflies rely on spicebush to lay their eggs, and the leaves provide food and shelter for their caterpillars. By planting a few spicebushes, you can encourage a breeding population of these stunning butterflies in your yard. Who doesn't want a population of swallowtail butterflies flitting around their yard?

In addition to supporting butterflies, spicebush plays a vital role in the broader ecosystem. Its early-spring yellow flowers are a crucial nectar source for pollinators emerging after winter. In the fall, its bright red berries feed birds and other wildlife, making it an essential resource for many species throughout the year. This multi-season appeal makes spicebush a valuable addition to any yard focused on wildlife conservation.

Spicebush is also remarkably easy to care for. It thrives in a range of conditions, from full shade to full sun, and adapts to both moist and moderately dry soils. For gardeners, its versatility is a major draw-it can be pruned to fit small spaces or allowed to grow naturally in larger areas. Its adaptability means it works well in both formal gardens and naturalized landscapes, providing beauty and ecological benefits without requiring constant maintenance. They can even be planted and pruned to form a hedge row. Their fall color, red berries that persist into the winter, and early spring flowers create seasons of visual appeal.

Choosing spicebush over similar-looking non-native shrubs, like forsythia and burning bush, has additional advantages. While non-natives offer no support for local wildlife, spicebush creates biodiversity by actively contributing to the food web, benefiting pollinators, birds, and other animals. By planting spicebush, you're not just enhancing your yard's appearance-you're helping restore biodiversity and supporting the native species that have coexisted with this plant for thousands of years.

A classic understory shrub in peril

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) was once a key understory shrub in eastern woodlands, providing food and habitat for wildlife like birds and spicebush swallowtail butterflies (Papilio troilus). However, invasive species such as Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) have spread aggressively, outcompeting spicebush by forming dense, overshadowing thickets. Habitat loss and overbrowsing by deer further threaten spicebush populations, disrupting ecosystems and reducing biodiversity. In my local woodlands, nearly all spicebush have vanished, spicebush swallowtails are now rare, and privet dominates the understory.

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The Spicebush as a Host Plant

Spicebush is a host plant for at least 11 lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). An essintial host are the Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio troilus). They lay their eggs on the leaves, which serve as the primary food source for their caterpillars. These caterpillars create protective leaf shelters by curling and securing leaves with silk, a behavior that offers both protection and a fascinating spectacle for observers. In addition to the Spicebush Swallowtail, spicebush supports the Promethea Moth (Callosamia promethea), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), Tulip-Tree Silkmoth (Callosamia angulifera), Io Moth (Automeris io), and Pale Beauty Moth (Campaea perlata). Planting spicebush supports diverse wildlife, enhances biodiversity, and serves as a vital link in the food web, connecting pollinators, birds, and native flora.
A few years ago, I started planting spicebush around my area, and since then, I've seen a noticeable increase in Spicebush Swallowtails fluttering through the summer months. If you'd like to attract these beautiful butterflies to your yard and boost their population, plant a few of these shrubs.

Learn more about the Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly

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Planting spicebush - Male and Females

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is a hardy, low-maintenance shrub that thrives in diverse conditions, from full shade to full sun, and in both dry and wet soils. Its versatility makes it ideal for woodland gardens, rain gardens, and hedgerows. To ensure vibrant red berries that attract wildlife, plant several spicebushes together, as male and female plants are needed for pollination. Ggrouping them increases the chances of having both, while also creating a thicket that provides shelter and food for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Additionally, spicebush supports pollinators like the spicebush swallowtail butterfly, whose caterpillars rely on it as a host plant.

Spicebush is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate plants. The early spring flowers are the best way to determine the sex of the plant. Male flowers are showier with petals and nine stamens in bright yellow clusters, while female flowers are smaller, and feature a central pistil. Both bloom in early spring, and pollination by insects is essential for berry production on female plants. To enjoy the berries and vibrant blooms, plant multiple spicebushes to ensure both sexes are present. Since nurseries don't label the sex of spicebush plants, purchasing several increases the likelihood of having a mix for successful pollination and fruiting.

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Growing and Propigating Spicebush

You do not need to get a large expensive plant. A tiny seedling is best, as spicebush grows fast at 1-2 feet per year. Simply plant it, care for it for the first year to let the roots develop, then watch it take off the following year. Seedlings are cheap and easy to purchase.

Local Native Nurseries are the best place to buy native plants. Sometimes these nurseries are hard to find, or they don't have the plant. An alternative is online ordering.

Propagation Methods

Seeds:
Seeds require stratification, which is a period of cold. You can plant them in small pots and leave them outside over the winter to naturally stratify, allowing them to germinate in the spring. Scoring the outside of the fruit will also help the seeds germinate. A much easier way to propagate spicebush is by using cuttings.

Cuttings:
Spicebush is easy to propagate via cuttings. In winter, clip an 8-inch section of stem and place it halfway in water with rooting hormone. Replenish the water every few days, and within a few weeks, you will see small root nodes. Once the roots begin to develop, add attitional rooting hormone, and move the cutting to a pot with loose soil and keep it moist. The roots will continue to grow, and by spring, you'll have a tiny plant. Nurture it for the first couple of months, and then you can plant it outside. Be sure to protect and water the plant properly so the roots can continue to grow. The issue with cuttings is that they are a genetic clone of the original plant. It's important to have genetic diversity. Before I start propagating plants via cuttings, I prefer to have a few plants from different nurseries or other sources to ensure genetic variation. I will take cuttings from each plant to maintain that diversity.

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Spicebush (Lindera Benzoin) Host Plant:

Recommended Wildlife Restoration Books:

These books below are by Doug Tallamy, a renowned entomologist and ecologist, widely recognized as the leading advocate for promoting native plantings in yards to support biodiversity and wildlife conservation.

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