Spicing Things Up with Spicebush
We love it when we discover a new plant on our property and one that is abundant no less! Even though we’ve noticed the Spicebush waving it’s beauty around the farm for several years now, it wasn’t until this week that we took the time to look it up. I don’t think there is a plant in existence that doesn’t have an interesting story but the Spicebush is full of delight in every way!
Spicebush is an aromatic plant that is a lovely sight and smell all year around. It grows about 1-2 feet annually and upward of 6-8 feet tall. It is native to Western North Carolina and though abundant on our farm, it is not an aggressive grower. It likes moist, well-drained soil which makes sense that Mitchell and I saw noticed them growing on the Trail of Dreams right where the spring drains downhill.
The Cherokee and Ojibwa Indians traditionally used Spicebush as a medicinal tea made from the plant's bark which has a mild cinnamon flavor and they also used it to flavor food. It was considered a ‘blood purifier for sweating , colds, and rheumatism. It was also an indicator of fertile land for American settlers and they used it for colds, worms, gas, and colic. Referred to also as ‘Feverbush’ because the bark was used to treat fevers of all kinds. The berries have a mild flavor like allspice and though they can be eaten cooked or raw, it is recommended as a flavoring for chicken or other baked protein dishes.
Medicinal properties of the Spicebush pack a punch with it’s aromatic, astringent, tonic and diaphoretic (promotes sweating) actions. The leaves and berries both promote digestion. Spicebush contains sesquiterpene lactones and camphor. Butanolides and lucidones have shown great potential in developing anticancer agents while aporphine alkaloids have possibilities in developing anti-inflammatory agents. A steam bath of the twigs was used to cause perspiration in order to ease aches and pains in the body.
Right now, in late February, there are no leaves or berries, just tiny little yellow buds that caught our eye. Tiny yellow sweet-smelling flowers appear in clusters in early spring before the leaves. It will then form dark green alternate leaves following the flowers which will then turn bright yellow in autumn. Red berries form in the autumn but are usually hidden under the leaves. We look forward to adding Spicebush magic to our plant healing repertoire and watching its magical seasonal evolution.