Calycanthus floridus

Origin: South-East of the United States.

Botanical characteristics: It is a deciduous upright shrub, up to 4 mt high. It has tomentose branches when it’s young. Both branches and leaves are aromatic. Its leaves are oval-lanceolate and opposite. They are dark green and rough on upper side whereas they are grey-green and pubescent on the underside. The summer blooming consist of fragrant deep red-brown flowers, 5 cm large.

Agronomic and environmental characteristics: It is easy to grow in all types of soil but prefers fertile and moist ones. It needs to be placed in sun or partial shade.

Use: In gardens it is used as single shrub, in groups or in mixed hedges.