Spice bush (Lindera benzoin) fruits are ripening in northwest Louisiana. The youngest spice bush in the arboretum collection has a surprising number of fruits.
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In 2022, this spice bush volunteered among a grouping of fringe trees (Chionanthus virginicus). This photo was taken the following summer in 2023. At that time, this spice "bush" had one primary stem, suggesting that it might develop a tree habit.
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Today, the spice bush looks decidedly more like a 'bush' than a small tree. In this photo, we see several distinct stems.
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Our young spice bush is tagged. Not every entry in the arboretum catalogue has a sign―that would be too much clutter in the landscape. There are already two spice bush shrubs with signs in the arboretum.
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Numerous fruits are hiding among the leaves.
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Sitting *under* the shrub, it's much easier to see the fruits.
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Fruits appear in clusters along the branch.
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| The large, green drooping leaves come to a point and the leaf-base is asymmetrical. Both leaf and fruit have a spicy fragrance. |
