Sweetshrub Research results

This is the shrub I was talking about on the topic about Jasmine. I thought it was interesting enough to have its own topic.
There are three Sweetshrubs that I have found.

1. Sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus or Carolina allspice
Mature Height is 6 to 8 ft. Mature Spread is 8 to 10 feet. It is a slow grower, adaptable to all sorts of soil and moisture. It like full sun -partial sun - Fragrant Flower is Brownish Maroon. Foiliage is Green.
2. Hartiage Wine Sweetshrub - Calycanthus - a purplish fragrant flower
5. Venus Sweetshrub - Calycanthus - a white fragrant flower

DG has several people who have the Venus. I want to see what they say about that. I got the photo from Nature Hills Nursery. They are sold out of the Carolina and do not know when they will get them in again. Spoke to the man and he said to call back in several months to see if they ordered them.

I wonder if any of the DG North or South Carolina Members have any of these or cuttings from them.
I am so excited I found them. All I can find are seeds to the Carolina so far. I am going to keep searching. Plants are available for the other two but not the one I really want. If anyone finds one please contact me JB.

Hi,

Have you asked in the Georgia Gardening forum?

If it is found in north or south carolina, do you think it could be found here?

good luck! I will keep my eyes open!

I was able to fine one at Hirt. I am hoping when it arrives it is in good condition. We will see. thanks, I will check the Georgia Forum.

JB - try this link http://sniktak.pointinspace.com/fmi/iwp/cgi?-db=SNI_Web_Dictionary&-loadframes if it doesn't work then go to http://www.nurcar.com/newPlants/html/newPlants.htm click on catalog and then do a search for Calycanthus - a few come up. This nursery sends out FULL size plants....I was very impressed.

I have grown these from seed, The Carolina allspice, and have some babbies, that I raised this past winter/early spring.
The trick to growing them from see, for me is, put them in a milk jug, and allow them yo sit out all winter, and when it starts looking hopeless, in the early spring, they will start opening from under the leaves, that covered them.The ones that had not sprouted, I put in a shady location, and covered them with leaves, and they are sproutting.If I can help in any way, lmk. Mike

Oh Mike, I do need your help. I just got some seeds. The instructions said nothing about stratifying them and I have two packs...I thought I would experiment with the first pack to see if I can do it. I am not a seed growing. In fact, I break out in a sweat everytime I have to sew seeds because it is going to be their demise if I do it. Well, having said that.
Please explain to me what you think I should do with these seeds NOW. And how to proceed after that. I read in my one propatation bible that these seeds need one to three months cold stratification.
When you said you put them in a container, do you mean now?

Yesterday I received the Venus Sweetshrub from Hirt. It is about 1 ft. tall. I think I should plant it outside now. What do you think, Mike?

Chantell, what a great link. Thanks so much. I could spend hours on that baby. I may just dol that today when I get finished doing my other things. I am going to try and propagate some begonias today. We will see. I am using test tubes. I ran out of other containers to put cuttings in with water, so I decided why not try the test tube thing. These are not big tubes so I may just have to purchase larger ones if I find they work. LOL. Talk later. I will keep you posted on my FRAGRANT shrub. I pray I can grow it. Thanks again for all the info. JB

Jb, personally, I would pot it, until it becomes acclimated to your area, for at least a year, and set it out, where you want it in the early winter, late fall of the folloeing year.I have about 15, in pots, and one, from a cutting, that I will put in the ground here in early Dec. Mike

Thanks Mike. Will give it a try. JB

The funny thing I remember about sweet shrub, Is the smell gets stronger in a high humid situation, like before a storm.I noticed that as a child.I am referring to the Carolina allspice. Mike

Mike, what started me searching for the shrub was the fact that when I was about 4 or 5 years old, I am going to be 82 in August, every morning after breakfast, my Grandmother would send me out to the back garden (we had 13 acres of formal gardens where we lived all summer) to pick her a shrub. I would go out ,get the shrub and bring it in with great care and she would tie it in the corner of her hanky. She would then put the hanky in her pocket or down her bra, and in no time, if you watched her, she would sit on her rocking chair and take out her hanky and smell the shrub. It was so soothing to her. She did this all day. When I got older, she told me to pick two, one for her and one for me. I was so delighted I was old enough to put a shrub in my hanky.......it was not long hankies were a thing of the past, but in our family, every lady had a linin hanky to put a shrub in. LOL That of course was the Carolina Allspice. Grandma was of Spanish ancestry and if she was living today she would be upset to see that Kleenex has taken the place of the hanky. I still have my hanky but it is so old if I tied anything in the corner it would no doubt rip open. Hmmmmmm. I wonder where it is?

I hapen to have close like that.Thats when I like them. Mike