Tammy SonsFounder/CEO, TN Nursery · CEO TN Nursery

Why should you plant Carolina allspice in your yard? #tnnursery #allspice #nativeplants #nativebush

1 Sept 2025 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

2:18

In this video, Bailey from TN Nursery introduces Carolina Allspice (also called Sweet Betsy, Bubby, Spice Bush, and Strawberry Bush), a native southeastern U.S. shrub belonging to an ancient flowering lineage. The plant grows 6‑9 ft tall and wide, produces dark‑red, water‑lily‑shaped flowers from late spring through fall that emit a spicy, fruity scent (banana, pineapple, clove, strawberry). The aromatic bark and leaves are leathery, dark‑shiny, and turn yellow in autumn. Flowers attract and temporarily trap sap beetles for pollination. The shrub thrives in USDA hardiness zones 4‑9, is deer‑ and rabbit‑resistant, and suits hedges, woodland, shade, and pollinator gardens, often placed near walkways for its fragrance. It offers wildlife benefits such as nesting sites and low‑maintenance landscaping. Traditional uses include teas and eye rinses. The video ends with a promotional offer: buy‑one‑get‑one‑free at TNNursery.net.

Chapters

Hey guys, it's Bailey with TN Nursery, and I wanted to show y'all our, uh, Carolina Allspice today. They're also known as Sweet Betsy, Bubby, and Spice Bush, and Strawberry Bush. They're native to the southeastern United States. They belong to one of the oldest flowering plant lineages. It grows 6 to 9 feet tall and just as wide. The flowers bloom in late spring and continues on through the summer all the way to fall. The blooms are dark red and maroon colored and shaped like water lilies instead of regular flowers. They have a spicy scent. People say they smell like banana, pineapple, clove, and strawberries. I smell strawberries and bananas when I smell them. The bark and leaves are aromatic when they're crushed or scratched. The flowers attract beetles, especially sap beetles, for pollination. The flowers trap the beetles temporarily to make sure that it's pollinated. The leaves are leathery and dark and shiny, and they turn yellow in the fall. They grow in U.S. hardy zones 4 through 9. They're ideal for hedges, and they're resistant to rabbits and deer due to its spicy foliage. It grows good in woodland gardens and shade gardens. It's considered a living fossil for its ancient floral traits. It's very common in pollinator gardens, and its fragrance varies from plant to plant. Some will have a stronger scent than others. Traditional medical uses for this plant was like teas and eye rinses. Eye rinses. They're a good choice for low maintenance and wildlife friendly landscapes. They provide nesting sites for birds and small animals. They're often used near walkways due to the scent. Here's some pictures I got of the flowers. Shop with us today and get you one at TNNursery.net. We have a buy one get one free sale going on with them now.