Calycanthus occidentalis, commonly called spice bush or western sweetshrub,[3] is a species of flowering shrub in the family Calycanthaceae that is native to California. It grows along streams and moist canyons in the foothills of mountains.[4]
Calycanthus occidentalis is a deciduous shrub that can reach a height of 4m (13ft). Its leaves are opposite, and grow to about 5–15cm (2–6in) long and 2–8cm (0.8–3.1in) wide. They are more-or-less ovate with acute tips, a rounded base. The flowers appear from late spring to early fall. The flowers do not have distinctive sepals and petals, but have swirls of dark red to burgundy colored petal-like structures called tepals, 2–6cm (0.8–2.4in) long and 0.5–1cm (0.2–0.4in) wide. The flowers open to about 5cm (2in) wide, but can occasionally reach 8cm (3.1in) wide.[5] According to Munz and Keck, the tepals can be up to 6cm (2.4in) long for a potential flower width of 12cm (4.7in).[6] The tepals enclose about 10–15 stamens.[7][8] The flowers are pollinated by beetles of the family Nitidulidae.[9]
Calycanthus occidentalis is endemic to California, and found throughout much of the state from as far north as the Klamath Mountains and as far south as the San Joaquin Valley.[2][11] Past collections in Washington have been found to have escaped cultivation, and are not naturally occurring.[12] It grows along streams and on moist canyon slopes at elevations of 200–1,600m (700–5,200ft).[7]
↑ Munz, Philip A.; Keck, David D. (1959). A California Flora. Berkeley, Calif.: Univ. of Calif. Press. p.77.
1 2 Johnson, George P. "Calycanthus occidentalis". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America (online). eFloras.org. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
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