Carried by 55 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
Spice bush (Calycanthus occidentalis) is a deciduous shrub with bright green leaves and unusual lotus-shaped red flowers that can resemble a small magnolia flower. The flowers are strongly scented, with a wine-like fragrance, and appear from late spring through early autumn. Sap beetles pollinate the flowers. The bark also has a strong smell, like camphor, that is released when the stems are scraped.
Left alone, it will become a large, rounded shrub 3 to 13 feet tall and 3 to 12 feet wide. Trimmed, it can become a multi-trunked small tree. Part-shade is ideal for this plant but it tolerates full sun with lots of moisture in somewhat cooler areas. It accepts full shade but will grow more slowly with a more open habit. It is adaptable to different types of soil, and is somewhat deer resistant.
Shrub
3 - 13 ft Tall
3 - 12 ft Wide
Rounded
Winter Deciduous
Pleasant
Red, Purple, Brown
Summer, Spring
Hedge
Full Sun, Partial Shade
Low, Moderate
Max 1x / week once established
Moderate
Tolerates cold to 0 - 10° F
Slow
Tolerates a wide variety of soils.
Soil PH: 5 - 8
For propagating by seed: 3 mos. stratification.
1, 2, 3, 4*, 5*, 6*, 7*, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*
Moist places, canyons, streamsides
Foothill Woodland, Yellow Pine Forest, Wetland-Riparian
Carpenteria californica (Bush anemone), Vitis californica (California Wild Grape), Umbellularia californica (California Bay ), Carex praegracilis (Clustered Field Sedge)
Butterflies and moths supported
0 confirmed and 1 likely
Oblique-Banded Leafroller Moth
Choristoneura rosaceana