Sweetshrub

Unassuming. Comfortable. Attractive. Somehow Sweetshrub, or Calycanthus floridus, fits anywhere: next to the stone wall, along the border to the patio, or as a foundation plant. In the scurry to place gaudy sensations in the landscape, homeowners and landscapers have overlooked the Sweetshrub's calm, solid performance. In the past, the leaves and flowers of this plant were used to provide a freshener for the insides of clothes drawers and women's purses. The foliage also makes a fine addition to potpourri. The cultivar 'Michael Lindsey' has glossier foliage and more fragrant flowers. Fall color is a beautiful yellow. Sweetshrub tolerates occasionally wet soil, yet withstands drought moderately well. It can supposedly grow to 8'-10,' but in our garden, Sweetshrub only reached 3'-4' high with a 6'-8' spread. A native of the Southeastern seaboard from Virginia to Florida, Sweetshrub is also commonly known as Carolina allspice, in reference, of course, to its fragrant scent.