Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus), also known as Sweetshrub, Sweet Betsy, or Bubby Bush, is a native shrub that brings rich history, sensory beauty, and ecological value to your garden.

A rounded, deciduous shrub native to the Southeast, Carolina Allspice is celebrated for its spicy-sweet spring flowers and glossy, aromatic foliage. Typically growing 6 to 9 feet tall in the home landscape (up to 12 feet in deep shade), it thrives everywhere from full sun to deep forest understories. Nearly every part of this plant—flowers, leaves, wood, and roots—releases a delightful, fruity fragrance when bruised or crushed.

Key Features:

• Fragrant Blooms: Unusual maroon, strap-petaled flowers scented of strawberry, pineapple, and banana appear from mid-spring into early summer.
• Ancient Evolutionary History: Features primitive flowers that evolved before bees existed, acting as a critical host and food source for native Nitidulid beetles (its primary pollinators).
• Aromatic Foliage & Bark: Glossy green leaves turn golden-yellow in fall and release a spicy scent when crushed.
• Shade-Tolerant & Clay-Ready: Easily grows in full sun to deep shade and effortlessly tolerates heavy clay, poor drainage, and a wide range of soil pH.
• Songbird Sanctuary: A dense, suckering, twiggy habit provides excellent low-profile cover and nesting sites for songbirds.
• Low-Maintenance & Deer-Resistant: The same aromatic compounds that humans love make this shrub highly unpalatable to deer and rabbits.
• Eco-Friendly: Grown non-GMO and neonicotinoid-free to ensure a healthy ecosystem for your local wildlife.

This shrub ships in a one gallon container with established root mass. 

Why Choose Carolina Allspice?

Carolina Allspice pairs nostalgic sensory beauty with effortless, problem-solving resilience. It is the ultimate "plant it and forget it" choice for difficult garden spots, thriving in heavy clay, wet soil, and deep shade where other shrubs struggle. Whether planted near a patio to enjoy its fruity, old-fashioned fragrance or utilized as a dense, deer-resistant border, it supports local biodiversity and provides invaluable nesting shelter for songbirds season after season.

Planting Tips:

1. Location: Plant in full sun to deep shade. (In hot southern climates, afternoon shade is preferred to keep the foliage looking its best). Prefers moist, well-drained loams but adapts beautifully to heavy clay.
2. Watering: Water regularly during the first growing season to establish roots. Once established, it tolerates occasional dry spells.
3. Maintenance: Minimal care required. If you wish to maintain a specific size or shape, simply prune right after it finishes blooming in early summer.

For more information on planting, view our How to Plant Your Native Plants guide and other planting tips in the Garden for Wildlife Learning Center.

Add the multi-sensory charm of Carolina Allspice to your landscape—a historic native shrub that rewards you with fragrant maroon flowers from mid-April through summer while welcoming unique pollinators and songbirds.

Shipping Range:

• AL
• GA
• LA
• MS
• NC
• SC
• TN

Zip Code Verification: Our plants are grown regionally to thrive where you live and help local wildlife. Confirm availability for your area using the zip code checker near the add to cart button above.

Returns: Due to the nature of our products, we are unable to offer order cancellations, returns or exchanges. In order to guarantee your satisfaction, all plants are covered by our Plant Guarantee.

*To ensure your plants arrive healthy, we may delay shipments to certain areas during times of extreme temperatures, natural disasters, or other conditions that will impact the plants during transit

Sizing: This shrub ships in a one gallon container with established root mass. In the fall, branches will be 12” to 18” tall with leaves. Spring shipments will be dormant with only branches and no leaves and a healthy one gallon root mass.

Recommended container sizes (in width) for container planting: