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Calycanthus occidentalis - Hook.&Arn.;

Californian Allspice

Author	Hook.&Arn.;	Botanical references	11, 200, 270
Family	Calycanthaceae	Genus	Calycanthus
Synonyms	Calycanthus macrophyllus - Hort.
Known Hazards	Calycanthus contains calycanthine, an alkaloid similar to strychnine, and it is toxic to humans and livestock[270].
Range	South-western N. America - California.
Habitat	Banks of streams, ponds and other wet places below 1200 metres[11, 184].
Edibility Rating	3 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	1 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

A decidious Shrub growing to 3m by 3m.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. 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; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Edible Uses

Edible Uses: Condiment.

The aromatic bark is dried and used as a substitute for cinnamon and all spice[11, 105]. Some caution is advised, see reports above on toxicity[270].

Medicinal Uses

Expectorant; Stomachic.

The bark is expectorant[257]. A decoction of the fresh or dried bark has been used in the treatment of sore throats, severe colds and stomach disorders[257].

Other Uses

Basketry; Dye.

A light brown dye is obtained from the flowers[168]. The wood and the bark from fresh shoots has been used in basket making[257].

Scented Plants

Plant: Fresh Crushed

The leaves and wood are pleasantly aromatic, whilst the flowers have no scent.

Cultivation details

Prefers a light loamy soil that is deep and moist but succeeds in most fertile soils if they are not shallow[11, 182]. Requires a well-drained soil[188]. 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]. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[184]. The leaves and the flowers are very aromatic according to one report[188], whilst another says that the leaves and wood are pleasantly aromatic, whilst the flowers have no scent[245]. 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

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.

[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.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[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.

[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.

[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.

[184] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1900 species and cultivars.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[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.

[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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