spicebush

spicebush
/spuys"boosh'/, n.
1. Also called spice-wood. a yellow-flowered, North American shrub, Lindera benzoin, of the laurel family, whose bark and leaves have a spicy odor.
2. a North American shrub, Calycanthus occidentalis, having oblong leaves and fragrant, light-brown flowers. Also called Benjamin-bush.
[1760-70, Amer.; SPICE + BUSH1]

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Deciduous, dense shrub (Lindera benzoin, or Benzoin aestivale) of the laurel family, native to eastern North America.

Found most often in damp woods, it grows 5–20 ft (1.5–6 m) tall. The shiny, oblong leaves (3–5 in., or 8–13 cm, long) are wedge-shaped near the base. Small, yellow flowers crowded in small, nearly stalkless clusters are followed by fleshy red fruit with a stony covering around the seed. Tea is sometimes brewed from young twigs, leaves, and fruit.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin).

Walter Chandoha

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plant
      (Lindera benzoin), deciduous, dense shrub of the laurel family (Lauraceae), native to eastern North America. It occurs most often in damp woods and grows about 1.5–6 m (about 5–20 feet) tall. The alternate leaves are rather oblong, but wedge-shaped near the base, and 8–13 cm (3–5 inches) long. The small, yellow, unisexual flowers are crowded in small, nearly stalkless clusters. The seed of the fleshy red fruit has a stony covering. Young twigs, leaves, and fruit are sometimes used to make a tealike beverage.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Spicebush — Spice bush , n. (Bot.) Spicewood. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spicebush — ☆ spicebush [spīs′boosh΄ ] n. 1. an aromatic E North American plant (Lindera benzoin) of the laurel family, with leathery leaves, small yellowish flowers, and red fruit formerly dried for use as a spice 2. CAROLINA ALLSPICE …   English World dictionary

  • spicebush — Allspice All spice , n. The berry of the pimento ({Eugenia pimenta}), a tree of the West Indies; a spice of a mildly pungent taste, and agreeably aromatic; Jamaica pepper; pimento. It has been supposed to combine the flavor of cinnamon, nutmegs,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spicebush — noun The common spicebush, Lindera benzoin, whose leaves have a distinctive strong citrusy aroma. Syn: Benjamin bush, spicewood …   Wiktionary

  • spicebush — kvapioji lindera statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Lauramedinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, prieskoninis, vaistinis augalas (Lindera benzoin), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Benzoin aestivale; Laurus aestivalis; Laurus benzoin;… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • spicebush — kaliforninis kalikantas statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Kalikantinių šeimos dekoratyvinis nuodingas augalas (Calycanthus occidentalis), paplitęs Kalifornijoje. atitikmenys: lot. Calycanthus occidentalis angl. California allspice; spicebush; …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Spicebush Swallowtail — Taxobox image caption = Spicebush Swallowtail( Papilio troilus ) status = NE status system = IUCN3.1 name = Spicebush Swallowtail regnum = Animalia phylum = Arthropoda classis = Insecta ordo = Lepidoptera familia = Papilionidae subfamilia =… …   Wikipedia

  • spicebush swallowtail — noun : a rather dark swallowtail butterfly (Papilio troilus) of eastern No. America * * * a swallowtail butterfly, Papilio troilus, having a dark body with yellow spots on the forewings and greenish hind wings. Also called troilus butterfly.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • spicebush — noun Date: 1770 an aromatic shrub (Lindera benzoin) of the laurel family found chiefly in the eastern United States that bears dense clusters of small greenish yellow flowers followed by usually scarlet berries …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • spicebush — noun a North American aromatic shrub, the fruit of which was used as a substitute for allspice. [Lindera benzoin.] …   English new terms dictionary

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