Alpine Currant vs Spicebush - TreeTime.ca

Alpine Currant vs Spicebush

Lindera benzoin

Ribes alpinum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

Spicebush
Alpine Currant

The Spicebush is an unique ornamental shrub that blooms with vibrant yellow flowers and bright green foliage. The foliage goes from green to yellow in the autumn, adding fall interest to your garden.The plant is dioecious, meaning that you will need male and female plants in order to harvest it’s red berries. Berries are only produced on female plants. The berries themselves aren’t that sweet, and are mostly enjoyed by birds and other wildlife.

The Spicebush, also commonly known as Common Spicebush, Northern Spicebush, Wild Allspice, and Benjamin Bush, is named after its distinctive spicy-sweet fragrance that comes from the flowers.

Alpine Currant is a great shrub to plant along sidewalks, near building or at your property boundary as a hedge or accent species. It is widely used by commercial landscapers in parking lots and near buildings because of its hardiness, attractiveness, and pollution tolerance.

While Alpine Currant produces edible berries, they are not palatable.

Spicebush Quick Facts

Alpine Currant Quick Facts

Zone: 4a
Zone: 2a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Light: any
Light: any
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Berries: red
Berries: small, bright red
Flowers: greenish yellow
Flowers: greenish yellow and fragrant
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: low




Other Names: benjamin bush, common spicebush, northern spicebush, wild allspice
Other Names: mountain currant