Factsheet S41: Calycanthus – American allspice

The American allspice or spicebush shrubs get their name from the aromatic scent given off by their crushed leaves and stems. There are five American species (and one from China), of which three are fairly easily available. They are deciduous shrubs with aromatic bark and opposite, glossy green leaves. The flowers of all species are similar, and the bushy shrubs are mid to late summer flowering, multistemmed and sometimes suckering in habit. In warm areas (rarely in Britain), the flowers become hard elliptic capsule-shaped fruits with many brown seeds.