Oriental Spice Bush is a deciduous, flowering, multi-stemmed shrub or climbing vine in the laurel family that is native to the mountain slopes of China. At maturity, it will reach a height of 7 to 10 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. It is grown for the attractive, glossy green, fragrant leaves in summer and red, orange and purple fall display. The narrow leaves then turn tan to brown and persist into the winter. Greenish-yellow flowers appear in early spring and are followed by small black fruits in the fall. The genus is named after Johann Linder, a Swedish botanist and physician. The species name means narrow-leaved. This shrub prefers sandy, moist, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. However, it does adapt to most garden soils. Use in a woodland or meadow setting, as a hedge or in the shrub border. Plant where the great fall color can be enjoyed. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Often confused withLindera glauca var. salicifolia
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Mature size
Height: 7 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing; Multi-stemmed
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy; Papery
Leaf value
Fragrant; Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Alternate, simple, light green, narrow and glossy leaves; 3 to 4 inch long; brilliant purple, orange, red fall color; leaves turn brown and remain through winter and into spring. Each leaf is 4 inches long with silvery undersides and provides quality color during the growing season.