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Calycanthus floridus glaucus - (Willd.)Torr.&A.Gray.;

Eastern Sweetshrub

Author	(Willd.)Torr.&A.Gray.;	Botanical references	11, 43, 200
Family	Calycanthaceae	Genus	Calycanthus
Synonyms	Calycanthus fertilis - Walter. Calycanthus floridus laevigatus - (Willd.)Torr.&A.Gray.; Calycanthus glaucus - Willd.
Known Hazards	Some reports say that the fruits are poisonous to sheep[235]. Calycanthus contains calycanthine, an alkaloid similar to strychnine, and it is toxic to humans and livestock[270].
Range	South-eastern N. America - Pennsylvania to North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.
Habitat	Rich woodlands[43]. Deciduous or mixed woodlands, along streams and rivers, margins of woodlands from sea level to 1850 metres[270].
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	1 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

A decidious Shrub growing to 3m.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Edible Uses

Edible Uses: Condiment.

The leaves, root and bark are dried and used as a substitute for cinnamon[177]. Some caution is advised, see reports above on toxicity[270].

Medicinal Uses

Diuretic; Emmenagogue.

Emmenagogue[61]. An infusion of the bark has been used to treat urinary problems[257].

Other Uses

None known

Scented Plants

Leaves: Crushed

The leaves smell strongly of cinnamon.

Cultivation details

Prefers a light loamy soil that is deep and moist but it succeeds in most fertile soils[11, 182]. Prefers a sunny position but it tolerates shade when grown in warm temperate zones[11, 200]. Requires a sheltered position, protected from cold winds[245]. A very ornamental plant, it is often confused with the closely related C. floridus and is perhaps no more than a sub-species of that species[11]. The leaves smell strongly of cinnamon[245]. The seed only ripens in Britain after a hot summer[11]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. If the seed is harvested 'green' (as soon as it has fully developed but before it has dried on the plant) and sown immediately it can germinate in 3 weeks[113]. Dried seed germinates in 1 - 6 months at 15°c[138]. Stored seed requires between 3 weeks and 3 months cold stratification before sowing in the spring. When large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. They can be difficult[113]. Layering in spring. Sever the new plants in a wet spell of weather about 15 months later and then lift them in the autumn[78]. High percentage[78]. Division of suckers in early spring[11]. Very easy, they can be planted straight out into their permanent positions if required.

Links

Permaculture.info Details of this plant in the Permaculture.info project, a community plant and permaculture database.

References

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[138] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[235] Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

[270] Flora of N. America 0
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.

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