Lindera benzoin

An understory shrub in moist-wet forest habitats and wetlands, the inconspicuous bloom can fill the area with a spicy fragrance in spring. Host plant for the spicebush swallowtail. Dioecious - only the female has the bright berries and a male needs to be nearby. Twigs and leaves also have a spicy fragrance. To distinguish the gender of a given shrub, see the detailed photos at Awesome Native Plants (awesomenativeplants.info).