F LORA & FAUNA
SPICEBUSH
Lindera benzoin
An aromatic deciduous shrub in the Laurel family, it grows six to nine feet tall and thrives in part shade. Among the earliest shrubs to bloom in spring, it requires both male and female plants to produce dark red berries that birds eagerly consume during migration, especially wood thrushes and veeries. It is also the larval host plant for the spicebush swallowtail. The leaves can be brewed into tea, and the dried drupes offer a peppery, fruity flavor traditionally used in cooking.
SPICEBUSH SWALLOWTAIL
Papilio troilus
A striking butterfly that prefers nectar from native plants like Joe-Pye-weed, jewelweed, and honeysuckle, and occasionally pepperbush or milkweed. Its caterpillars feed mainly on spicebush and sassafras. Once fully grown, they form a chrysalis that turns green in spring or brown near winter— a process called seasonal polyphenism. Adults have only two days to two weeks to find a mate, making each moment significant in their brief, delicate life cycle and highlighting the importance of their native host plants.
ROOTS 2026 • 85