Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Carolina Allspice, Spicebush, Strawberry Shrub

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

A tall rounded shrub with reliable sweet spicy fragrance emanating from interesting, magnolia-like red flowers; plant along a walkway or driveway where the flower fragrance can be enjoyed by passers-by; blooms on new and old wood

Ornamental Features

Aphrodite Sweetshrub has fragrant red spider-like flowers with dark red eyes and a buttery yellow ring along the branches from mid summer to early fall. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The glossy oval leaves turn an outstanding gold in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Aphrodite Sweetshrub is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Aphrodite Sweetshrub is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Aphrodite Sweetshrub will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.