Family Calycanthaceae
Garden origin
- Lush and abundant bold deciduous foliage.
- Exquisite many-petaled deep burgundy flowers.
- Vigorous and easy to grow in dappled woodland shade or full sun.
Large, rich green, oval-shaped leaves give this vigorous and wide-spreading shrub a distinctive and lush appearance. Its abundant foliage and elegant branching habit, growing in wide-spreading tiers, create the perfect framework for its floral display. The bark and wood of the calycanthus are aromatic, hence its common name, ‘Allspice’, derived from its rich cinnamon perfume.
The broad and richly colored leaves make as an excellent backdrop for the unique flowers, which possess the same spicy aroma as the wood. Numerous deep burgundy wine-colored fleshy-looking petals, referred to as tepals, encircle the inner central floral cup containing the stamens and carpels. This central cup has a darker hue tinged with cream, hidden within the rosette of outer tepals within their gracefully curving form. The flowers emerge as beautiful round buds on stout stems, standing upright on the branches. Upon opening, they reveal their water-lily-like form and release their distinctive scent. The essential oils from the blooms are used in perfumery.
This shrub is easy to cultivate in all types of soil and is well-suited for part-shade conditions, particularly in woodland environments where it will achieve its most lush foliage.
Height and spread after 10 – 12 years 3m x 2.5m.
