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Common Sweetshrub

Calycanthus floridus

Description:

This deciduous shrub has a dense, rounded habit, growing 6 to 9 feet tall and as wide. Its unusual, waterlily-like, fragrant flowers combine the scent of strawberries, banana, and pineapple. Flowers appear in May and continuing blooming on and off into June and July. The dark green leaves and bark release a clove or camphor-like scent when crushed.

Habitat:

Dawes Arboretum

Notes:

a/k/a Carolina Allspice or Strawberry Sweetshrub

2 Species ID Suggestions

white orchid
Orchidaceae


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10 Comments

SarahWhitt
SarahWhitt 12 years ago

WOW, Scott...thank you so very much for your research! I looked it up & believe you are correct! Will edit now! :)

ScottRasmussen
ScottRasmussen 12 years ago

Looked sort of like a Calycanthus and it turns out that it's a fancy hybrid of four (!) Calycanthus species and is, as far as I can tall from doing a Google search, a relatively hot item in the gardening world. Our native wild Sweetshrub, Calycanthus floridus, is a rare shrub with dull purple flowers, so I'm not sure how they developed this elaborate hybrid. Interestingly enough, I thought Sweetshrub was a strictly southern U.S. plant, but it supposedly grows here in Massachusetts. Guess I'll have to keep my eyes open for it!

SarahWhitt
SarahWhitt 12 years ago

Yes they are. And this was the only flower on the plant.

ScottRasmussen
ScottRasmussen 12 years ago

Ahh, that's good to know. Are those long, oval, opposite leaves part of that plant?

SarahWhitt
SarahWhitt 12 years ago

Thanks for your input, Scott...I am still searching for an ID... It was growing on a vine like a clematis...not a tree.

ScottRasmussen
ScottRasmussen 12 years ago

This is an interesting flower. Growing in an arboretum, it could be from anywhere in the world, so it's going to be hard to identify. At first glance it looks like a magnolia, but it isn't. Is this a tree? Does it have opposite leaves? It also sort of resembles star anise, genus Illicium. Best of luck getting an I.D.. I'd love to know what it is and where it grows naturally.

SarahWhitt
SarahWhitt 12 years ago

Thanks, p.young & Jonathan!! Still not absolutely sure about the ID yet, but still researching :) Appreciate your input!!

p.young713
p.young713 12 years ago

Could it be a White Clematis?
http://www.redbubble.com/people/diamondw...

p.young713
p.young713 12 years ago

Yes, I think its a tropical flower or Hawaii?

Jonathan Sequeira
Jonathan Sequeira 12 years ago

Orchids only have 3 sepals and 3 petals One of the petals is modified as a labelum... I will research more....

SarahWhitt
Spotted by
SarahWhitt

Ohio, USA

Spotted on Jun 26, 2011
Submitted on Jun 30, 2011

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