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SPICEBUSH
(Lindera benzoin)
This shrub is found along stream banks and in rich, moist woods. Its range is New England to Florida, & from Texas to Michigan and Canada. The scarlet, strongly spice-scented berries are oval and contain a single seed. The bright berries often remain after the leaves have fallen in Autumn. The leaves are thin and elliptical, toothless and hairless, with a rich scent. The small yellow flowers appear in early spring before the leaves unfold. The bark of the shrub is smooth, the twigs are slim and very brittle most seasons of the year.
Tea made from the twigs or leaves is delicious and warming with a spicy aroma. The berries are toxic if not prepared properly, and should not be used without medical supervision and prepared by a knowledgeable herbalist. When used as an allspice substitute it should be used sparingly.
The Native Americans used the berry as a medicinal tea for coughs, cramps, delayed menses, croup, measles; the bark tea for sweating, "blood purification", colds, rheumatism, and anemia. Settlers used berries as an Allspice substitute. Medicinally, the berries were used as a carminative for flatulence and colic. The oil from the fruits was applied to bruises and muscles or joints for chronic rheumatism. Twig tea was popular for colds, fevers, worms, gas, and colic.
Sources:
Peterson Field Guide to Eastern and Central Medicinal Plants, by Steven Foster and James A. Duke
Tom Brown's Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants, by Tom Brown
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