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kimmy61_gw

sweet shrub

kimmy61
17 years ago

can anyone tell me how to grow sweet shrub from seeds, or if you can even do this. someone gave me some seeds.

Comments (5)

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    17 years ago

    Attached is a google result page. There is considerable information on the web for you to peruse at your leisure. You need to know, however, that if the seeds were collected from a particular cultivar of Calycanthus, seed propagation is not likely to produce offspring that will resemble the parent plant.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Calycanthus seed propagation info for you!

  • amosmc
    17 years ago

    Ornamental flowering spring shrub, best known for its sweet light, fruity fragrance that can fill a yard. (Calycanthus floridus) Sweet Shrub is native to the Appalachian stream banks of the Smokies, where it is also known as Carolina Allspice, Strawberry Bush, Sweet Shade, and Bubby Blossom. Women used to place the flowers in their bodices as a perfume, hence the name "Bubby Blossom". Sweet shrub was once commonly found as an ornamental around colonial homes, especially south of the Mason-Dixon line. Several large bushes can fill a small yard with the combined fragrance of strawberry, cantaloupe, spiced apple, and burgundy wine. Sweet shrub has a distinctive maroon-red flower about 2" across. It is pollinated by small beetles that were the first pollinators of flowering plants and were instrumental in the evolution of flowering plants, long before bees and flies appeared on the scene. When the flower first opens it has the fragrance of spiced apples as it opens over a period of 7 to 10 days. Flowers first appear in mid-March with a flush of flowers in April, and a trailing out through May. Even the leaves are fragrant when rubbed, and in the fall they turn a sunny yellow. In colonial times the cinnamon-flavored bark was used as a seasoning. Sweet shrubs are ideal for planting close to the house near a window where the fragrance may drift indoors. Plant additional plants by a favor-ite path or sitting area. Will flower splendidly in full sun, but is best adapted to light shade. Flowers in 2 to 3 years from seed. Medicinal: Useful for damp spleen. An excellent herb for moving stagnant chi. The leaves, twigs, and buds have diaphoretic properties. An emmenagogue, and possibly has some anti-viral activity plant in fall about 2 inches in ground

    anyway with the history lesson over these thngs are all over the place here n ga i have hundreds of seeds and tons of the plants gotta love greenhouses they can ge grown form cuttings if you guys are haveing a hard tme finding any just shoot me a email amosmc81@yahoo.com with a self addressed stamped envalope id be more than happy to send anyone a few seeds to get them started or to trade or whtever :)

  • queenamy
    17 years ago

    I would love to find sweet shrub at a nursery; does anyone know of anywhere in metro B'ham area where they have it? I am either looking in the wrong places or they are calling it something else. I am actually in Margaret, so Moody/Leeds and Odenville areas are also convenient.
    Thanks!
    Amy

  • tsmith2579
    17 years ago

    First, be sure you buy your sweet shrub, calycanthus, Carolina Allspice, whatever you call them, when they are in bloom. Some plants barely smell and you want one which has lots of smell. Collier's Nursery at Acton Rd and Rocky Ridge Rd off I-459 usually has them as well as Myer's Nursery on Hwy 31 in Pelham. If I recall correctly, Myer's had some of the Athens (chartreuse bloom) variety last year.

  • bamadave
    17 years ago

    I would definitely get the 'Athens' Sweetshrub and not gamble on a seedling unless you can sniff the flowers before purchase. 'Athens' has become widely available the past few years. I have even seen them at Home Depot for great prices (I got two of mine there). I know Plant Odyssey had at least one 'Athens' when I was in there about one week ago. The yellow-green flowers are unmistakable, and the fragrance is amazing.

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