Calycanthus floridus
Carolina allspice, Strawberry shrub
Also known as Calycanthus sterilis
- Height × spread
- 2.5m × 3m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Cold to -15C (RHS H5)
- Flowers
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This is the hardiest of the allspices. Its foliage is camphor scented and the flowers are fruitily fragrant with a scent like that of melons. The wine red blooms have thick wayward petals and look as though they have been put on the leaves fully grown. Leaves are shiny with a downy underside. It makes a dense and substantial shrub, generally rather quiet in its effect though it does produce some yellow autumnal colour before leaf fall. If you like camphor, it's ideal beside a seating area, otherwise it's a good plant to place alongside a path so that the fragrance and the flowers can be remarked upon in passing. The leaves, roots and wood have a strong camphor fragrance. The bark is said to resemble cinnamon and is used as a substitute for this spice in the USA. The flowers have a fruity fragrance - some liken it to the scent of ripe melons. But the scent is said to vary widely in quality from plant to plant.
- Flower colour
- Brown, Red
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Autumn foliage
- Yellow
- Stem colour
- Brown, Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- Yes, fruity-melon
- Shape
- Cube
- Height
- 2.5m
- Spread
- 3m
- Height in 10 years
- 2m
- Spread in 10 years
- 2m
- Season of interest
- Summer
- Flowers in
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Scented garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun
- Soil type
- Clay
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil
- Hardiness
- Cold to -15C (RHS H5)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Structural
- Hazards
- Yes, potentially harmful; Humans: Harmful if eaten
Spring
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed young plants with slow release fertiliser
Spread a slow release fertiliser around the base of the plant to the edge of the foliage spread, so that it can feed the roots. It is helpful for this to be applied for several years.
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost until the plant becomes well established.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water to keep the soil moist
For best results, this plant needs soil that is always moist. Water deeply and regularly as soon as soil appears dry. Even for established plants in the ground, a dry week can cause problems with some soils. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather. Or install an automatic irrigation system which will do the hard work for you, even when you are away on holiday.
Without regular watering some plants never fully regain their beauty.
Spring - early · Planting
Remove suckers
Remove any suckers that have appeared round the base of the plant. They can often be pulled up, but it may be necessary to use secateurs or loppers to detach them from the parent plant.
Spring - early · Planting
Prune hard to the base
Prune back to within 30cm to 45cm of the plant base so that the year's growth will begin from this low framework. If you want the plant to grow larger, this need only be done every few years.
Planting & general
Outdoor planting · Planting
Add root growth stimulant to the planting hole
Mycorrhizal fungi helps roots establish quickly, so they absorb water and nutrients more efficiently. It comes as a powder, granule or gel. Add to the planting hole or container, and to the plant's rootball before planting in the hole. For "bareroot" plants use a gel.