- spicebush
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/spuys"boosh'/, n.1. Also called spice-wood. a yellow-flowered, North American shrub, Lindera benzoin, of the laurel family, whose bark and leaves have a spicy odor.2. a North American shrub, Calycanthus occidentalis, having oblong leaves and fragrant, light-brown flowers. Also called Benjamin-bush.[1760-70, Amer.; SPICE + BUSH1]
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Deciduous, dense shrub (Lindera benzoin, or Benzoin aestivale) of the laurel family, native to eastern North America.Found most often in damp woods, it grows 5–20 ft (1.5–6 m) tall. The shiny, oblong leaves (3–5 in., or 8–13 cm, long) are wedge-shaped near the base. Small, yellow flowers crowded in small, nearly stalkless clusters are followed by fleshy red fruit with a stony covering around the seed. Tea is sometimes brewed from young twigs, leaves, and fruit.
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin).Walter Chandoha* * *
▪ plant(Lindera benzoin), deciduous, dense shrub of the laurel family (Lauraceae), native to eastern North America. It occurs most often in damp woods and grows about 1.5–6 m (about 5–20 feet) tall. The alternate leaves are rather oblong, but wedge-shaped near the base, and 8–13 cm (3–5 inches) long. The small, yellow, unisexual flowers are crowded in small, nearly stalkless clusters. The seed of the fleshy red fruit has a stony covering. Young twigs, leaves, and fruit are sometimes used to make a tealike beverage.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
