Spice bush. A deciduous shrub to 12’ with an 8’ spread. The bark is aromatic and the fragrant leaves turn a warm yellow in the fall. Reddish-brown flowers resembling small water lilies, 2” across, appear from April to August. Flowers smell like an aged wine barrel. Grows in full sun with some light shade in warm climates. Plant in deep, moist, humus-rich soil with moderate to occasional water. A tough, trouble-free native deserving of greater use in California gardens. Hardy to 0F. California.
