Sweet-shrub (Calycanthus floridus)

Looking back through the arboretum blog, the sweet-shrub flowers at different times. In 2017, it flowered in April. In 2018, it flowered in May. Now, here we are in 2020, and our sweet-shrub is flowering in the middle of March!

The sweet-shrub is flowering! The photos below were taken March 21, 2020.

A seed pod remains attached to the shrub. This particular shrub does not typically produce many fruits; this is a rare find.

Springtime Flowers

This is a sweet-shrub (Calycanthus floridus) bush. It also goes by the name Carolina allspice. The bush is flowering right now, but the flowers aren't readily noticed.

The dark red flowers are fragrant!

What's in Bloom?

Last week we had to say goodbye to the wildest of the wildflowers, as the arboretum was in need of a good mowing. So long daisy fleabane! We'll see you next year! But there are still plenty of beautiful blooms this week. Below are a few highlights from the irises, vines, shrubs and trees adding dashes of spectacular color to the grounds of the arboretum.

Purple Louisiana iris hybrids growing in the floodplain. The arboretum's iris collection is comprised of plants collected from across the state of Louisiana, including at the Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve.

Iris flower detail

Our native wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) has been flowering for a few weeks now.

These flowers are from a large Carolina allspice bush (Calycanthus floridus), growing alongside the arboretum drainage. The shrub is highly decorated in blooms this year.

Virginia willow (Itea virginica) located on the northeast corner of the main bridge running through the arboretum.

Little-leaf snowbell (Styrax americana) flowers are lightly fragrant.

The dewberry vines (Rubus trivialis) are now producing fruit.

Calycanthus floridus