Love your native plant videos! Highly recommend putting shorter more condensed versions on TikTok. There’s a whole community there around native plants and people are always looking for local native plant vendors.
Yup. I've got two of them. Beautiful shrub. Amazing smell. They can be trained into a small yard tree or allowed to bush out. As mentioned, there is a male and a female plant. One needs one of each in relative vicinity to each other to get berries. Historically, they were used as an "Allspice" when spices were rare and/or taxed by England. On the down side: Deer will hammer them in the Winter if one is not careful. On the up side: (Also, partly mentioned.) They are one of only two plant species that the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly will use as a host for its caterpillar stage. My opinion: Worth having.
Over most of their range spicebush swallowtails host on northern spicebush and sassafras. Farther south they have more options and will also host on several species of bay and the southern spicebush.
Have you used spicebush in a pollinator or wildlife planting? Please let us know about your experience! Also, be sure to check out our online classes: shannontrimboli.com/events/category/classes/
Winter or early spring are great times to look for spicebush since the red berries are visible in winter and the bright yellow flowers stand out in the spring.
if you're looking for it before it has berries but while it still has leaves, crush up and smell the leaves of any really generic looking bush you find with smooth margined, unlobed leaves. They're everywhere once you know what to look for
Very informative. Thank you! How can you tell male and female plants apart? Do the have specific cultivar names? I have 3, they've never flowered. I assume they are all the same gender.
Both the make and female shrubs will flower. There are differences in the flower structure that can be used to tell them apart, but most people just plant a group of them. There are not any cultivars of spice bush as far as I know, just the wild type.
@@BackyardEcology I agree, but in my area, no other bird has touched my berry bushes, except catbirds. I had a 75 grape vine vineyard for years, and the number one bird that was a problem was the catbirds. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate them, but they are the local thieves where I am at, no other birds mess with my fruit but them.
I found 3 spicebushes when clearing the edge of my property of invasives. One of them has a large branch that has holes dug in it by maybe insects. I dont know if it could spread, they are fairly large holes in several spots but only on one of its 3 main branches. Should i cut it off, treat it with something or ignore it and hope for the best?
Depending on where you live it could be several things. Spicebush is susceptible to laurel wilt disease which is spread by a species of ambrosia beetle. One of the signs of this disease are small holes with sawdust pellets coming out of them. Without seeing the bush it is hard to say what is going on. I would take some good clear pictures of the damage and contact your local extension office.
@@BackyardEcology thanks, I'll do that. The holes are maybe a half inch large so not that beetle, no sawdust coming out either. The other 2 large branches are fine.
Love your native plant videos! Highly recommend putting shorter more condensed versions on TikTok. There’s a whole community there around native plants and people are always looking for local native plant vendors.
Thanks for the tip!
Yup. I've got two of them. Beautiful shrub. Amazing smell. They can be trained into a small yard tree or allowed to bush out.
As mentioned, there is a male and a female plant. One needs one of each in relative vicinity to each other to get berries.
Historically, they were used as an "Allspice" when spices were rare and/or taxed by England.
On the down side:
Deer will hammer them in the Winter if one is not careful.
On the up side: (Also, partly mentioned.)
They are one of only two plant species that the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly will use as a host for its caterpillar stage.
My opinion: Worth having.
Over most of their range spicebush swallowtails host on northern spicebush and sassafras. Farther south they have more options and will also host on several species of bay and the southern spicebush.
@@BackyardEcology Yup. I gave it away, I'm up north.😄 😊
'please do not go out into the woods and start tasting plants' LOL
Absolutely. Some of them will leave you with a less than desirable experience...
Ok happy anniversary your channel is interesting and informative 😎🌼🌻🌱🪴
Thanks so much!
Have you used spicebush in a pollinator or wildlife planting? Please let us know about your experience! Also, be sure to check out our online classes: shannontrimboli.com/events/category/classes/
Great information. I know I must have this plant in my woods but haven't identified one yet. Although loving butterflys I have heard of it many times.
Winter or early spring are great times to look for spicebush since the red berries are visible in winter and the bright yellow flowers stand out in the spring.
@@BackyardEcology Thanks I'll do that.
if you're looking for it before it has berries but while it still has leaves, crush up and smell the leaves of any really generic looking bush you find with smooth margined, unlobed leaves. They're everywhere once you know what to look for
Our spicebush is loved here too! (Quebec)
It is an awesome native shrub!
I nearly lost mine but it looks like it may recover.
Good to hear! Spicebush is fairly tough and resilient to most things.
Mulberries?
Very informative. Thank you! How can you tell male and female plants apart? Do the have specific cultivar names? I have 3, they've never flowered. I assume they are all the same gender.
Both the make and female shrubs will flower. There are differences in the flower structure that can be used to tell them apart, but most people just plant a group of them. There are not any cultivars of spice bush as far as I know, just the wild type.
@@BackyardEcology THANK YOU! :) :)
Cool Video man I just subscribed to your channel! Peace
Thanks for the sub! Glad you liked the video.
Dang catbirds will eat bitter berries. They are the only bird in my area that will feed on my aronia berries and elderberries.
Other birds will eat them too. Time of year and what else is available has a huge bearing on when birds will eat certain things.
@@BackyardEcology I agree, but in my area, no other bird has touched my berry bushes, except catbirds. I had a 75 grape vine vineyard for years, and the number one bird that was a problem was the catbirds. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate them, but they are the local thieves where I am at, no other birds mess with my fruit but them.
@@birage9885 Interesting. Around here the mockingbirds, thrashers, and cedar waxwings along with the catbirds hammer the berry bushes and trees.
I found 3 spicebushes when clearing the edge of my property of invasives. One of them has a large branch that has holes dug in it by maybe insects. I dont know if it could spread, they are fairly large holes in several spots but only on one of its 3 main branches. Should i cut it off, treat it with something or ignore it and hope for the best?
Depending on where you live it could be several things. Spicebush is susceptible to laurel wilt disease which is spread by a species of ambrosia beetle. One of the signs of this disease are small holes with sawdust pellets coming out of them. Without seeing the bush it is hard to say what is going on. I would take some good clear pictures of the damage and contact your local extension office.
@@BackyardEcology thanks, I'll do that. The holes are maybe a half inch large so not that beetle, no sawdust coming out either. The other 2 large branches are fine.