Japanese Spicebush

After all the posts about mostly yellow Narcissus, my last one featured a combination of flower colors with a patriotic theme, but I'm back into yellow again. It's not a Narcissus providing the yellow this time, instead it's Japanese Spicebush, Lindera obtusiloba, a shrub that I grow mostly for its brilliant fall color and beautiful aromatic foliage like that of Sassafras, with left-handed mitten, right-handed mitten, and three lobed versions. Additional interest is provided by the small yellow flowers that line its bare branches in late winter. They're not really showy, many people would walk right by without noticing them, but I like them anyway.

Lindera obtusiloba flowers

The native spicebush, Lindera benzoin, is very abundant alongside our creek. It's mostly absent from the upland areas around the house and garden, but I've found seedlings growing among the Hostas and ferns in moist soils on the northeast side of the house and have transplanted them to suitable locations along the forest edge. Like its Asian relative, it has small yellow flowers in late winter and is aromatic in all of its parts, including the showy red autumn berries, but its foliage is simple without the fancy lobes.

Lindera benzoin flowers

My next post will probably feature Narcissus again because today I noticed the first flowers opening on 'Trevithian', 'Delibes', and 'Accent'. Adding some blue to the mix I also saw quite a few Scilla sibirica getting ready. As soon as I get some good photos I'll share them here.