# Carolina sweetshrub (*Calycanthus floridus*) The Carolina sweetshrub is a lovely shrub with sweet-smelling flowers. It blooms in spring and has green leaves that turn yellow in the fall, making it a beautiful addition to gardens. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Carolina allspice, Sweetshrub ![Carolina sweetshrub](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28MHNT%29_Calycanthus_floridus_-_Les_Martels%252C_Giroussens_Tarn.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28MHNT%29_Calycanthus_floridus_-_Les_Martels%252C_Giroussens_Tarn.jpg) ## Appearance The Carolina sweetshrub has unique reddish-brown to maroon flowers with many strap-like, twisted petals. Its large, glossy green leaves are simple and opposite, often emitting a distinct spicy fragrance when crushed. This dense, multi-stemmed shrub forms a rounded shape. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Laurales - **Family:** Calycanthaceae - **Genus:** Calycanthus ## Interesting facts - Even the bark of this plant smells spicy, like cinnamon when you scratch it! - Its unique flower petals feel like soft, leathery ribbons to the touch! - Some people call it "strawberry shrub" because of its sweet, fruity smell. - The hard, woody seed pods look just like little brown urns hanging on the branches! ## Special abilities - **Scent Shield:** Carolina sweetshrub leaves release a spicy, camphor-like scent when crushed, helping to deter some hungry animals. - **Beetle Beacon:** Its maroon, strap-like flowers emit a fermenting fruit scent, specifically attracting fascinating beetle pollinators. - **Winter Wonders:** The plant produces unique urn-shaped seed pods that stay on the branches through winter, providing visual interest. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 180-300 cm - **Spread:** 180-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 4-7 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Four-spotted Sap Beetle (*Glischrochilus quadrisignatus*) — attracted by its fruity scent - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses its leaves and twigs - **Shelter:** [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) — might nest in its dense branches ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always stay on paths when exploring nature and don't touch plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Carolina sweetshrub? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Carolina sweetshrub? 180-300 cm ### How wide does Carolina sweetshrub spread? 180-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on Carolina sweetshrub? 4-7 cm ### When does Carolina sweetshrub bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is Carolina sweetshrub edible? No ### Is Carolina sweetshrub toxic? Mild ### What is Carolina sweetshrub's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Oak Ridge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/oak-ridge-historic-district) — Tennessee, US · Historic District - [Andrews Geyser](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/andrews-geyser) — North Carolina, US · Nature Reserve - [Berry College](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-college) — Georgia, US · Campus - [Blacksburg Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blacksburg-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [DuPont State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dupont-state-forest) — North Carolina, US · Forest - [Litchfield Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/litchfield-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see Carolina sweetshrub](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/carolina-sweetshrub) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Carolina sweetshrub: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/carolina-sweetshrub)