Calycanthus - Allspice

A genus of 6 species from Asia and North America that somewhat resemble the Magnolicas. They are easy to grow and prefer partial to full sun on cool, moist soil.
The Calycanthus are tolerant of flooding and are rarely bothered by pests or disease.
Propagation is from seed sown upon ripening and layering. Softwood cuttings can be taken with more difficulty during summer.

Calycanthus fertilis ( Allspice )
Also called Calycanthus floridus var glaucus. A large shrub reaching up to 8 feet or rarely a maximum size of 13 x 17 feet. It is native to the southeastern U.S. ( from southeastern Missouri to far southern Illinois to southeastern Ohio to central Pennsylvania; south to central Alabama to central South Carolina ).
The leaves are up to 6 inches in length. The foliage is glossy deep green.
The purple-red flowers are up to 2 inches across and are mildly fragrant.
Hardy zones 4 to 9, it thrives far north of it's natural range to as far as Ottawa, Canada.

* photo taken on April 11 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photo taken on May 5 2010 in Columbia, MD


* photos taken on Sep 15 2013 in Howard Co., MD

* photo taken on May 7 2014 @ London Town Gardens, Edgewater, MD

* photos taken on Oct 18 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 23 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 4 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 24 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 12 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 15 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 3 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 10 2023 in Columbia, MD

'Purpureus'
Purple tinged foliage

Calycanthus floridus ( Carolina Allspice )
The most common Allspice which is native to the southeast U.S. and can become a fast growing, dense, large shrub to 9 feet or rarely more. It is native to the southeastern U.S. ( from central Tennessee to Pennsylvania; south to Mississippi to northern Florida ). Some growth records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 5 feet; 5 years - 5 x 6 feet; 10 years - 9 x 10 feet; largest on record - 15 x 19 feet.
The oval leaves are up to 7 x 3 inches in size. The foliage is dull, deep green above and downy beneath; turning to deep yellow during autumn.
The faintly fragrant flowers are up to 2 inches across and are deep red.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 and tolerant of flooding. It is hardy far north of it's natural range to as far north as Ottawa, Canada. Thrives in sun or shade. It can spread by suckering.

* photo taken on May 16 2010 @ Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore, MD

* photos taken on October 14 2010 in Crownsville, MD


* photos taken on June 30 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on May 6 2015 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on Apr 28 2017 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on May 27 2017 @ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA

* photo taken on Sep 28 2018 @ Howard Comm College, Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 8 2019 in Gaithersburg, MD

* photos taken on Oct 24 2020 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on Nov 10 2020 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Nov 9 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 24 2022 @ Howard Community College, Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 7 2023 @ Howard Community College, Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 27 2023 @ Howard Community College, Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 23 2024 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Wash, DC

'Athens'
Reaches up to 8 x 10 feet in 10 years with glossy, deep green foliage that turns attractive buttery yellow in autumn. The light yellow flowers are very sweetly fragant. This cultivar blooms heavily in May and sporadically lasting into mid summer.

* photos taken on June 22 2014 in Howard Co., MD

* photo taken on Nov 10 2020 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

'Burgundy Spice'
Upright in habit, reaching up to 8 x 6 feet in 10 years, eventually slightly more.
The very attractive foliage is glossy deep purple on both sides, turning to orange and red during autumn.

* photos taken on Nov 10 2020 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Aug 1 2022 in Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on May 6 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* patent photo

'Katherine'
A rare form that is dense in habit with deep green foliage and very fragrant yellow flowers.

'Michael Lindsey'
Dense, compact and globular, reaching up to 10 x 10 feet in 10 years.
The foliage is glossy deep green turning very attractive butter yellow in autumn.
The flowers are red-brown, fragrant and long lasting in late spring.

* photo taken on Sep 3 2017 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

Calycanthus occidentalis ( California Allspice )
Very similar to Calycanthus fertilis but is native to California and Oregon.
It is a very vigorous, rounded, dense, handsome shrub up to 15 feet though can grow larger and even trained as a small tree. Some records include: fastest growth rate - 6 ( rarely over 3 ) feet; largest on record - 20 x 33 feet. There are also reports of 6 feet in 8 years in North Carolina far from its native range.
The leathery, oval leaves are large, up to 8 x 3 inches in size. The glossy deep green foliage turns to a very attractive buttery yellow during autumn. The Magnolia-like foliage is aromatic.
The fragrant flowers are also large, and on some forms up to 3 inches across. The flowers are reddish but can fade to yellow with age. This species can bloom from mid-spring to late summer.
Hardy zones 6 to 9 in full sun or partial shade on deep, fertile, moist, well drained soil whether sand or clay. Prefers a site protected from excessive wind. Unlike species native to the eastern U.S., this one prefers a cooler climate such as is found in the Pacific Northwest and the British Isles though does grow in cooler summer parts of the east such as milder parts of the Great Lakes and Cape Cod. Rarely eaten by deer.

* photo taken by Jean Pawek @ CalPhotos

Sinocalycanthus chinensis
A deciduous shrub native to eastern and central China that can reach up to 12 feet or more. Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 4.5 feet; 5 years - 10 x 10 feet; largest on record - 17 x 15 feet.
The spicy aromatic, elliptical, taper pointed leaves are up to 8 x 5 or rarely 12 x 10 inches in size. The very tropical looking foliage is bronze at first, turning to glossy, deep green. The foliage turns to yellow during autumn.
The camellia like flowers are white with yellow centers, up to 4 inches across and are borne from mid spring to early summer.
The flowers are followed by hard seed capsules.
Easy to grow but prefers full sun to partial shade ( preferred where summers are hot ) and cool, moist, humus-rich, acidic, well drained soil. While not fully tested for hardiness in the U.S.; it does grow well in Michigan. Likely hardy zones 5b to 9 tolerating -15 F with no dieback.
Can be propagated from seed or layers.


* photo taken by Milan Havlis ( havlis.cz )

'Hartlage Wine'
A hybrid between Calycanthus chinensis and C. floridus, bearing very profuse, large, very showy, wine red flowers, up to 4 inches across, over a long season lasting 4 weeks or more during late spring.
The large, bold leaves are up to 12 inches in length. The glossy mid-green foliage turns to golden-yellow during autumn.
It is very vigorous, reaching a maximum size of 15 x 20 feet, with growth rates up to 6 feet having been recorded.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 on most soils in sun or shade.

* photo taken on May 1 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC



* photos taken @ Brookside Gardens "Party w the Peonies" tour in Fulton, MD on May 21 2011



* photos taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken @ Smithsonian Inst, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

* photos taken on Apr 24 2016 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on May 27 2017 @ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA

* photos taken on May 29 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 26 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken during Sep 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken during Nov 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 19 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 25 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 1 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 7 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 3 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 18 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 1 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 12 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 25 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 2 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 7th 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 1 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 21 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 18 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 4 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 14 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 30 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Feb 8 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 21 2024 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 10 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Venus'
A hybrid between Calycanthus chinensis and C. floridus 'Athens' with large white flowers, up to 4 inches across, that resemble that of the Magnolia. Flowers heavily during spring and sparsely during summer. It is fast growing, often up to 2.5 feet per season.
Foliage is glossy deep green, turning to deep yellow during autumn. The leaves are up to 8 x 4 inches in size..
Hardy zones 5 to 8 and prefers sandy, moist, well drained soil. Moderately deer resistant ( will only eat it if they are really, really hungry ).

* photo taken on May 6 2010 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on June 1 2014 @ Maryland Horticulturalist Society garden tour, Ellicott City