Nationally, Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday of April. However, most states observe a separate Arbor Day on a date of their choosing in accordance with the best tree-planting times. In North Carolina, we celebrate Arbor Day on the first Friday following March 15. This year, NC Arbor Day falls on Friday, March 21. Arbor Day is all about giving thanks for/to your trees.

Planting trees and shrubs is one of the best and most powerful ways we can make a positive difference in the environment. It’s not rocket science, more like match making with plants. It’s actually pretty easy with the resources offered by NCSU and you don’t need a horticulture degree to make a match made in heaven. Especially with the Spicebush shrub. It’s got it all – Beauty, food, health benefits, ecology benefits, and more.

The Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is a deciduous shrub that may grow to 8 to 15 feet that can be found in rich forests, dry forests on slopes, and swamps. The leaves are alternate with a smooth margin. Leaves produce a spicy odor when crushed. The bark is brown to gray-brown and speckled with light-colored lenticels. In early spring, small, yellow flowers mature in axillary clusters. The shrub produces a bright red drupe with a peppery taste and scent. The fruit matures in the fall. This plant is dieocious, which means female fruit sets need male pollinator plants to reproduce. This plant has good, yellow fall color. Read more about what it needs to be happy here.

Even non-plant folks benefit from being around those of us who just can’t get enough of the flora. Plants fight climate change through photosynthesis, absorbing harmful carbon dioxide, removing and storing the carbon and releasing oxygen back into the air. In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced by a car driven 26,000 miles! Trees and shrubs clean the air and help you breathe by this process as well as by absorbing odors and pollutants like nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and ozone. It’s estimated that one tree can absorb nearly 10 pounds of polluted air each year and release 260 pounds of oxygen.

Torrential rains can result in water runoff into streams, lakes and wetlands, creating the potential for flooding. It also picks up and carries pollutants along the way. The EPA and the Center for Watershed Protection are recognizing the importance of trees in managing runoff. Leaf canopies help buffer the falling rain and their roots hold the soil in place, encouraging the water to seep into the ground rather than run off.

Trees and shrubs provide passive energy conservation in summer and winter, providing shade from the hot summer sun and shelter from cold winter winds. Trees in an attractive landscape setting increase a home’s value by up to 15 percent while providing nesting sites, food and shelter for birds and other wildlife while reducing stress and anxiety for us.

SPICEBUSH FUN FACTS! Essential oils from this plants leaves, twigs, and fruits, have been used in teas. The fragrant fruits are sometimes dried and used in sachets. Native Americans have been known to use the dried fruits of this plant as a spice, and the leaves of this plant for tea.

This plant supports Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) larvae which has two flights from March-December with a partial 3rd flight in the South. The adult butterflies feed on nectar from flowers like sweet pepperbush, thistles, blue flag, and azalea. This plant also supports Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) larvae which have 2 generations per year from April-October. Adult Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies feed on nectar from Japanese honeysuckle, jewelweed, thistles, milkweed, azalea, dogbane, lantana, mimosa, and sweet pepperbush. Also a host plant for the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly. Fruits are eaten by songbirds, especially during fall migration. White-tailed deer will browse twigs and leaves.

MORE ABOUT THE SPICEBUSH: Plants should be planted in partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours) with moist soil. The Spicebush produces clusters of tiny, apetalous, aromatic, greenish-yellow flowers that bloom along the branches in early spring before the foliage emerges (March-April). Enjoy the scarlet red spicy scented fruit in late Summer/early Fall (August-September). Drupes are 1/2′ wide. The Spicebush has thick, alternate, oblong-obovate, light green leaves (to 5″ long) turn an attractive yellow in autumn. Leaves are aromatic (spicy fragrance) when crushed.

Get Your FREE Spicebush Seedlings on April 25th!

Swain County Heritage Museum (front lawn)
Bryson City, NC
10:00 – Noon

OR

Mark Watson Park in Constitution Square
Sylva, NC
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m..

We’ll have FREE Spicebush seedlings to share while they last.