Ordered spice bush, but it's not? Please help

10 years ago

I ordered 3 American spicebush from Etsy in Spring. They were dormant and just one grew, so the seller sent me replacements. When they got leaves they looked totally different. The seller first insisted they are the right ones, then said they are spicebush, but the wrong kind ( bog spicebush) that doesn't look right either. Maybe bladdernut? He ignored the question if that would be a possibility. Still got them in pots, since I don't want to plant something invasive/ non native. Please help me identify.

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Iris S (SC, Zone 7b)
Original Author

10 years ago

It wasn't really about saving the money. I am having a hard time finding the plants I want. Back in April, I went to the Native Plant Society's sale, but I arrived there about ten minutes after it started. It was like Walmart on Black Friday with nice people. So I got maybe half of what I was planning to get and searched the Internet to get the others.

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Comments (8)

NHBabs z4b-5a NH
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Whatever you have is growing compound leaves, and neither common spicebush (Lindera benzoin) or bog spicebush (L. subcoriacea) have compound leaves.

Does what you have growing have a woody stem? If not, it looks rather like green goutweed/Bishop's weed (Aegopodium podagraria).
Iris S (SC, Zone 7b)
Original Author
10 years ago
It has grown a bit, so here is a newer picture. Needless to say I will not order from there again. 5 stars on etsy, but checking google this nursery goes down to 2. Looked at hundreds of images with trifoliate leaves.
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mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
10 years ago
Looks like hoptree to me.
Iris S (SC, Zone 7b)
Original Author
10 years ago
Hop tree would actually be nice. This was another thing I was looking at. But it seems the leaves would be smooth, not the little teeth. Might be hard to see in the picture. It's really frustrating. I searched the sellers online inventory too. None of my guesses there.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
glad to read that you will not order from them again ...

sometimes saving a few bucks .. is not worth the aggravation .... and paying a bit extra will not only get you what you want ... but a bigger plant .. not a huge plant.. just another year older ...

ken
Logan L Johnson
10 years ago
Looks like the leaves of a sumac, hoptree has slightly glossy leaves. Maybe fragrant sumac?
Iris S (SC, Zone 7b)
Original Author
10 years ago
Should I just try to keep them alive in the pots until they are big enough to flower to make an easier identification? I would hate to kill something like bladdernut or hop tree. On the other hand I have been battling the same wisteria for 3 years. This seller seems to have a real online nursery, so it's hard to believe he doesn't want to help me out. He should know if he has either of the possibilities around.