Do you suppose sun exposure plays a role?
Mine is in deep shade at top of a creek bank, receiving minimal direct sun.
Yes I agree could be sun or other environmental factors, age, or potentially the virus !
Yep. That’s YELLOW.
I wonder if there are multiple genes involved in fruit color of Lindera, or if there are modifiers, like the color dilution and color inhibitor genes for coat color in cattle… the color dilution gene in Simmental and some other Continental breeds ‘dilutes’ base colors… red is reduced to orange/yellow, black to various shades of gray; the Charolais cattle have a color inhibitor gene which codes for white hair (though the skin may be pigmented black or red - lending a ‘smoky’ or yellow color).
4 Likes
I have a bunch that I purchased bare root a few years ago. They are doing fine, but not nearly as fine as yours! There’s a decent chance there are some other things in play (genetics, climate, my site vs yours) but direct sow looks like a good bet if you can swing it. I tried that first with local seed, but they kept getting decimated by critters.
Regarding moisture requirements: they definitely seem happier with more moisture, but they also seem to be one of the most drought tolerant plants in my dryish sandy soil.
I think what they really crave is RICH soil, high in organic matter. That seems to be the biggest differentiator in how the different bushes I have are growing, rather than soil moisture directly.
3 Likes
Visited a local farm of a guy growing an insane variety of fruit plants.
He has a lot of wild spicebush which he decried as a weed. (Not the first person to hold this opinion.)
However, some of the plants had the hugest fruit I’ve ever seen. The fleshy layer is the same thickness; the bulk is in the seed.
The smaller berries in these photos are the biggest ones I could find on my bushes.
8 Likes
@TrilobaTracker Do the yellow spicebush taste any different from the red type?
Fantastic! Those seeds should be saved & cross-bred with to select for even larger flesh & smaller seeds.
2 Likes
Probably like 4-5 pounds of spice berries picked in 1 and a half hours
I agree with him. They grow everywhere in the forest here.
7 Likes
How do you dry Spicebush berries, and how do you use them as a spice? I have read that the relatively high oil content means they are better frozen and hard to dry. Do you slit each one? Deseed? And for use, do the seeds come along into tea or baked goods? Or are they safe to grind/crush then eat all? Thanks!
2 Likes
It’s been fun reading about your Spicebush Lindera benzoin progress over the years. I got my first berries last year, low on the bushes that had been in place for 4yrs. I liked the flavor too! (I also like the smell of turpentine, lol). I think deer nibbled off all the upper flower buds. Mine are situated on my western edge so get only AM sun. But the trees behind them are thirsty so the small shrubs definitely needed supplemental watering. They seemed OK this past summer despite late drought, now habpving a more established root system.
I left most of the berries to see if birds would eat them, and they did disappear. Next year I will try drying a few spicebush berries after splitting to put the seeds in the fridge like you’ve described. They are kind of a rough-looking shrub due to large leaves and flexible branches. But I would love to have more.
2 Likes
i wonder if mine will berry, i havent gotten any flowers yet so not sure what the sex is of mine. but the rabbits love them in the winte.r they do really well bouncing back from being topped above the squat tree tube i keep them in. this will be their 3rd year so maybe i’ll get flowers this spring.
I take the whole ripe berries off the bush and either dry in the sun a couple days or in the oven at 170 until they get dark (that’s as low as my oven goes.)
I can’t tell a difference really between the 2 methods in terms of flavor.
They are oily and mostly seed versus flesh.
I keep the dried berries in jars in the fridge. I usually grind some in an electric coffee grinder and store in the fridge too, for quick use.
I use the ground berries in cold cereal, hot cereal, ice cream, cakes, pies, cookies and even some savory dishes.
Good luck!
2 Likes
So it’s mostly ground seed, not flesh, that you are eating?
Thanks for all the good info.
1 Like
Based on the naturally occurring flesh:seed ratio, yep!