Lindera obtusiloba Seeds | Japanese Spicebush
LATIN NAME: Lindera obtusiloba
COMMON NAME: Japanese Spicebush, Blunt-lobed Spicebush
Plant Profile
Known to gardeners as Japanese Spicebush, Lindera obtusiloba is a spreading, deciduous shrub in the laurel family, native to forests of east Asia, from China and korea to Japan. Japanese spicebush is a plant of quiet, many-layered pleasures. For the gardener, the sum of these traits is a plant that is easy to live with.
Science & Biotechnology
Seed science, comparative botany and horticultural selection all touch on Lindera obtusiloba, a representative of the laurel family with clear practical value. Japanese spicebush is of real interest in natural-products and ecological research. A long cultivation history means growers know what to expect from it.
Uses & Benefits
Japanese Spicebush works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Ecologically, Japanese spicebush is a benefactor. Its very early spring flowers feed bees and other insects when little else is in bloom, fruits feed birds in autumn, and dense, aromatic shrub gives shelter for wildlife through the year. Its economic value is mainly ornamental. Thereafter it wants only the ordinary attentions any garden plant receives.
Spicebush and its kin are aromatic medicinal shrubs: Lindera aggregata root, Wu Yao, is a classical Chinese qi-moving herb, and the American spicebush’s twigs and berries are a traditional warming wild tea and allspice substitute.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed of Japanese Spicebush under ordinary good conditions. Growing Japanese spicebush from seed takes a little patience, but it is a rewarding shrub to raise. Seeds sit inside red fruits, and they need a period of cold, moist conditions to germinate, so collect fruits in autumn, clean off flesh, and sow seeds in pots of moist compost, leaving them outdoors through winter. Sow on the surface of a gritty, well-drained mix, cover lightly with fine compost, and maintain gentle, even moisture in a sunny position. Shift the seedlings into small pots as soon as they can be handled, and give them bright light until planting-out time.
Our Take
Japanese Spicebush repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
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