sweetshrub

Plant Type

Shrub (less than 10 ft)

Life Cycle

Perennial

Typical Size

6-12 ft. tall
6-12 ft. wide

Tolerant of

Occasional Flooding

Inolerant of

Dry Soil

Propagation

By seed

Plant Propagation Notes

Propagate by seed collected in fall to early winter.

 

Plant Planting Notes

Plant it 3 to 5 feet from other shrubs to give it adequate room to grow.

Plants/Diseases

Relatively pest and disease free.

Wildlife Benefits

Nectar/pollen source for pollinating insects

Leaves

Leaves opposite, blades are elliptic to broadly elliptic or oblong. Leaf size ranges from 5-15 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. Entire leaf margins. Undersides of leaves are paler and are densely hairy.

Flowers

Solitary red/burgundy, saucer shaped flowers with 7-20 petals surrounded by colored sepals. Approximately 1-3 inches diameter. Very fragrant.

Fruit

Urn shaped fruit appear in the summer, turning brown/copper in the fall. Approximately 1 x 1 inch.

Bark

Light brown with lenticels. Fragrant when scratched.

Toxicity

Contains calycanthin and related alkaloids. Toxicity is low, but seeds can cause convulsions and elevated blood pressure if ingested. No contact dermatitis.

USDA Hardiness Zones

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Light Exposure

Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade, Full Shade

Soil Moisture

Medium, Moist

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Native in South Carolina?

Yes

Plant Native Habitat

Wood openings/edges, stream banks, and moist hillsides

Global Conservation Status (NatureServe)

Secure (G5)

Federal Conservation Status (USFWS)

Not Listed

Distribution Notes

Common in the SC Mountains and Piedmont, and Uncommon in the Coastal Plain