Lindera benzoin

Hello, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Recently, when having supper with Hank and Ann, my most faithful providers of hat material, some young men were visiting to deer hunt. Don, who lives outside of Hendersonville, brought dried spice berries for Ann and me. They come from the native plant Lindera benzoin. On Don’s property, with fertile woodlands, this plant grows profusely. Male plants produce flowers with massive amounts of pollen for insects while female plants, with less pollen, are covered in fall with small red berries. Deer don’t seem to enjoy them, but our native black bears relish them, and their scat is filled with intact berries – they do get the flesh off many but most spread for other animals to eat. You can find recipes using them including one for ice cream.