Bloomipedia
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
Photo: Michael J. Papay via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flowering shrub

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is a shrub in the Lauraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–April across the U.S.

🌷 Flowering shrubNative in the lower 48

Spicebush is a popular flowering shrub. It's on our flower lists for 32 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–April.

32states where USDA records it
32Bloomipedia state lists include it
48,267U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Planted garden shrubs are mostly excluded from research grade.

On our lists for: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Quick look

Lindera benzoin is a shrub in the laurel family. It is native to eastern North America, growing in the understory in moist, rich woods.

  • It belongs to the Lauraceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 32 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Pennsylvania, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
  • In New York, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 12 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 6,138 research-grade sightings of it in Pennsylvania, ranking #19 among the 190 flowers on our Pennsylvania list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 5,793 research-grade sightings of it in New York, ranking #30 among the 193 flowers on our New York list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 5,081 research-grade sightings of it in Ohio, ranking #28 among the 186 flowers on our Ohio list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,376 records)
Bloom time in the 32 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
Pennsylvania🌷 GardenMarch–April6,138
New York🌷 GardenApril5,793
Ohio🌷 GardenMarch–April5,081
Virginia🌷 GardenMarch–April4,967
Maryland🌷 GardenMarch–April4,769
Massachusetts🌷 GardenApril2,854
New Jersey🌷 GardenMarch–April2,045
Indiana🌷 GardenMarch–April1,949
Michigan🌷 GardenMarch–April1,938
North Carolina🌷 GardenMarch1,887
Tennessee🌷 GardenMarch1,635
Kentucky🌷 GardenMarch1,373
Connecticut🌷 GardenApril1,247
Illinois🌷 GardenMarch–April1,100
Missouri🌷 Gardenfew records (31)917
Arkansas🌷 GardenMarch645
West Virginia🌷 Gardenfew records (37)599
Delaware🌷 Gardenfew records (38)559
Georgia🌷 Gardenfew records (19)521
Rhode Island🌷 Gardenfew records (27)273
New Hampshire🌷 Gardenfew records (13)215
Alabama🌷 Gardenfew records (10)215
Texas🌷 Gardenfew records (12)192
South Carolina🌷 Gardenfew records (6)88
Vermont🌷 Gardenfew records (14)75
Oklahoma🌷 Gardenfew records (19)72
Mississippi🌷 Gardenfew records (13)58
Maine🌷 Gardenfew records (6)31
Louisiana🌷 Gardenno flowering records12
Kansas🌷 Gardenno flowering records11
Wisconsin🌷 Gardenfew records (1)10
California🌷 Gardenno flowering records0

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 22 of our 32 states.
See each state
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe: S5, secure in Pennsylvania. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
New York
Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe: S5, secure in New York. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Ohio. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S5, secure in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maryland. COMAR 08.03.08
Massachusetts
Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Massachusetts. MESA list
New Jersey
Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe: S5, secure in New Jersey. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
Michigan
Not listed Not on Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Michigan. R 299.1028
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
Connecticut
Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Connecticut. CT E/T/SC list
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. 3 CSR 10-4.111
Delaware
Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe: S5, secure in Delaware. DE rare plants 2024
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Rhode Island
Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Rhode Island. RI rare plants 2016
New Hampshire
Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Hampshire. NH Ncr 312
Texas
Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Texas. 31 TAC 69.8
Vermont
Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Vermont. Vermont E&T list
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe has no Wisconsin rank for it. NR 27.03
California
Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe has no California rank for it. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Indiana.
Arkansas
No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
West Virginia
No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in West Virginia.
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oklahoma.
Mississippi
No list Mississippi has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Mississippi ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Mississippi.
Maine
Special concern On Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories: special concern (tracking list, not a legal status). NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Maine. Maine rare plant list
Louisiana
No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Louisiana.
Kansas
No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: S2, imperiled in Kansas.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 23, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: it's on Maine's rare plant list (special concern); NatureServe ranks it S3 in Vermont, S3 in Maine and S2 in Kansas. Maine rare plant list NatureServe

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records spicebush in 32 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.

Pennsylvania counties with USDA records: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, Wyoming, York.

New York counties with USDA records: Albany, Bronx, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Kings, Lewis, Madison, Monroe, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Saratoga, Schuyler, Seneca, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Washington, Westchester, Yates.

Ohio counties with USDA records: Adams, Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Gallia, Geauga, Greene, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Logan, Lorain, Lucas, Madison, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Sandusky, Scioto, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert, Vinton, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Williams, Wood, Wyandot.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Spicebush a medium shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.5 to 6.0 and winter lows down to -23 °F.

Shade tolerance
Medium
Drought tolerance
Low
Moisture use
Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to
medium, fine
Soil pH range
4.5 to 6.0
Minimum temperature tolerated
-23 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
120
Annual precipitation range
32 to 50 inches
Minimum root depth
18 inches
Salinity tolerance
None
Fertility requirement
High
Growth rate
Slow
Lifespan
Long
Active growth period
Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed
Red · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability
Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for LIBE3. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 1086 counties across 30 states; the most are in Kentucky (115), Virginia (100), Ohio (87).

More Pennsylvania flowers

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🌼 Blooms in PA: April–May
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White snakeroot

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🌼 Blooms in PA: August–October
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

Mayapple

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🌼 Blooms in PA: April–May

Sources