Carolina allspice

Carolina allspice: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Broad, dense shrub 2–3 m high and wide, slowly spreading by suckers.

Leaves

Opposite, oval to elliptic, 5–15 cm, dark green and slightly rough; spicy scented when crushed. Yellow in autumn.

Flowers

4–5 cm across, reddish-brown to chestnut, with many narrow, slightly fleshy petals that all look alike; from May to July.

Scent

Fruity, strongest on warm afternoons. The intensity varies greatly from plant to plant.

Fruit

A leathery, urn-shaped brown fruit with a few large seeds that hangs on the shrub for a long time. The seeds are poisonous.

Flowering: May–July · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: July–August

Why grow it?

• Unusual reddish-brown flowers with a fruity scent, from May to July.
• Leaves, twigs and bark smell spicy when crushed.
• Yellow autumn colour to round off the season.
• Very hardy and easy, in sun or partial shade.
• Tolerates moist, even temporarily wet soil, where many shrubs struggle.
• A scented shrub for beside a patio or seating area.

Carolina allspice: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; in sun it flowers more freely, in partial shade the leaves stay fresher.
• Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to neutral.
• Moderately moist to moist; it even tolerates temporarily wet soil, but not prolonged drought.
• A spot you pass often, such as near a seat, so you can enjoy the scent.
• Allow 2–2.5 m.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

2.5 m tall, 2.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Hydrangea: Flowers in the same summer in the same moist, humus-rich soil.
• Astilbe: Pink and white plumes at its feet, in moist soil.
• Ferns: Fresh green underplanting in partial shade.
• Japanese anemone: Carries on flowering in late summer, after the sweetshrub has finished.

Carolina allspice: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or October–November, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Buy it in flower if possible so you can smell it: the scent varies greatly between plants.
3. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in a few spadefuls of compost.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot and firm the soil well.
5. Water thoroughly straight away.
6. Spread a mulch of leaf mould around the base.

Care

Water

Regularly during the first year. After that in dry summers, as it likes moist soil.

Feeding

Compost or organic shrub fertiliser in spring.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould keeps the soil cool and moist.

Suckers

If it gets too wide, dig out suckers at the edge in spring or autumn.

Fruits

If children or animals use the garden, cut off the faded flowers after flowering so no fruits form.

Tip: Smell a plant in flower before you buy it: the scent varies greatly between individuals. Put it near a seat, as you smell it best on a warm afternoon.

Carolina allspice: when to prune it?

Pruning months: July–August.

When: After flowering, in July–August. It needs little pruning.

How:

• Every one to two years, remove a few of the oldest stems at the base; this keeps the shrub young and free-flowering.
• Cut out dead, damaged and crossing branches.
• Shorten overlong shoots to just above a few leaves.
• Remove unwanted suckers at the edge.

Caution: Clear up prunings that carry fruits straight away and do not leave them where children or animals can reach them.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Suckers

In March or October, dig up a rooted sucker at the edge of the shrub and replant it elsewhere straight away.

Layering

In spring, bend a low branch to the ground and peg it down; sever after a year and transplant.

Seed

Sow outdoors in a tray in autumn, wearing gloves, as the seed is poisonous. Seedlings take several years to flower and their scent is unpredictable.

Carolina allspice: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Very hardy, to about −25 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• Deciduous: in winter only bare stems remain, often with the brown fruits still on them.
• In a pot: stand it against a wall and wrap the pot so the roots do not freeze.

Diseases and pests

• Little or no scent: The scent varies greatly between plants and is strongest in warm weather. Buy a plant in flower or choose a cultivar known for its fragrance.
• Few flowers: Too much shade or soil that is too dry. Give it more light and more water in summer.
• Brown leaf edges: Caused by drought or hot midday sun. Water and mulch, and if necessary choose a spot with some shade.
• Too many suckers: It slowly spreads by suckering. Dig out suckers at the edge regularly.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Dig out suckers.
• April: Plant. Add compost and mulch.
• May: First fruity-scented flowers.
• June: In full flower. Water in dry weather.
• July: Last flowers. After flowering, remove a few old stems.
• August: Prune if needed. Water in dry weather.
• October: Plant. Yellow autumn colour. Dig out suckers.
• November: Plant. Pick off the fruits if children or animals use the garden.

Edible and useful

Not edible. The seeds in the brown, leathery fruits of Carolina allspice are poisonous: they contain calycanthine, an alkaloid that causes seizures, and poisoning is known in cattle and sheep. The bark and leaves have a spicy scent of cloves and cinnamon, hence the name, but it is not a spice: do not use the bark, leaves or seeds in the kitchen. Pick off the fruits if children or animals come into the garden, keep dogs and cats away from fallen fruits, and never throw trimmings into a field. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Did you know?

• The flowers are pollinated by beetles, which are drawn to their fruity scent.
• In this shrub, sepals and petals cannot be told apart: all the floral parts look alike.
• The name ‘allspice’ refers to the spicy scent of the bark and leaves, which is reminiscent of kitchen spices.