
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin).
Deciduous, dense shrub (
Lindera benzoin, or
Benzoin aestivale) of the
laurel family, native to eastern North America. Found most often in damp woods, it grows 5–20 ft (1.5–6 m) tall. The shiny, oblong leaves (3–5 in., or 8–13 cm, long) are wedge-shaped near the base. Small, yellow flowers crowded in small, nearly stalkless clusters are followed by fleshy red fruit with a stony covering around the seed. Tea is sometimes brewed from young twigs, leaves, and fruit.
Learn more about spicebush with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.