If you know the genus and mintage of this month ’s mystery works , you could win a free one - year subscription toFine Gardening . Send your entry , along with your stark posting address , by February 28 , 2009 to[email protected ] . The winner will be chosen at random from all right entries .
Last month ’s mystery plant wasCalycanthus floridus , commonly known as Carolina allspice , coarse sweetshrub , or strawberry bush . This deciduous bush , native to the southeastern United States , has ellipse , gloomy green leave of absence and grows up to 8 feet marvellous and 10 fundament wide . It prefers fat , moist territory in full sun or fond shade and is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9 . In summertime , the strappy , dusky , coloured red flowers slip the show with both their beauty and their strong bouquet often liken to strawberries , pineapple , and bananas . Roxie Mack of State Road , North Carolina , was chosen at random from all correct entries to receive a free one - twelvemonth subscription toFine Gardening . Congratulations , Roxie !
“ Though I do n’t have infinite for this handsome native bush , I have long admired it . ”-Ethel fry , West Hartford , Connecticut
“ It is one of the aboriginal bush I would have intercourse to have in my curtilage ! It has fragrant prime , shank , and leafage ! A heavy plant!”-Lynn S. Pennett , Downingtown , Pennsylvania
“ I ’ve have it away this bush since I was a shaver , seeing it and smelling it in a friend ’s yard!”-Carolyn Malin , Max Meadows , Virginia
“ This plant has a peculiar meaning to me , it was my Mother ’s favorite , and she is now departed . She teach me about this bloom bush , and the history behind the fragrant flowers . Before fragrance was wide used , women would put these flowers in the pocket of their apparel , or perhaps in a handkerchief in the sleeve of their blouse , to have the fragrance on their person . I consider the sweetness was also used to disguise olfactory property from sure unwellness in clip of epidemic , hence the call “ pack - around - the - rosie - pocket - full - posie … ” What a beautiful plant!”-Jane E. Caruso , Columbus , Ohio
“ This plant is one of my longtime , honest-to-god - fashioned favorites . Down here we call it sweetened bush or Carolina allspice . If potential , buy sweet bush when it is blooming so that you may check for that wonderful fragrance , since not all of these plant are bless with the fresh strawberry - banana - Ananas comosus scent . ”-Betsy Humphries , Sumter , South Carolina
“ This plant has a exceptional place in my garden and essence as I ’ve moved it from unexampled rest home to family . My plant stock came from my corking granny ’s home plate place in the res publica of Upson County , Georgia . While I ca n’t confirm that my particular plant is of that specific mintage , it sure as shooting looks like it . The works is pretty neat in that it has the flowering blossom witness in your photo and has an ensuant sweet aroma while in flower . The smell really prompt me of my great - grandmother and grandma when I was produce up and visit them . Just seeing the photo brought back such decent memories from my puerility playacting in the yard . I in reality think the semen seedcase has unequaled coming into court as well . Thanks for the flashback memory!”-Tim Thornton , Marietta , Georgia
“ My aunty told me year ago that twigs from the sweet bubbie bushes were used as toothbrush ! They smell so good and work well as a toothbrush - I tried them . ”-Carolyn West , Simi Valley , California
“ I have one establish in my garden . What a endearing plant . ”-Jeanne J. Larsen , Hot Springs Village , Arkansas
“ I have turn this but I got disembarrass of mine because I evidently had a poor performing artist . I ’ve read that some plants have better fragrance than others , and mine was a disappointment . ”-Lucy Goszkowski , Annapolis , Maryland
“ It was my favored plant life at my aunty ’s farm and when we visited I ran for those strawberry - scented blooms just as before long as I got out of the car . year afterward I found it in a garden catalog and put it into my garden in Ohio . ”-Marlene Simonetta , Akron , Ohio
“ I am an assistant manager at a retail garden center and every spring we have several client look for this bush that they remember from a grandmother ’s thousand , and they always draw the unequaled fragrance!”-Chris Schmidt , Strasburg , Virginia
“ Here in the central piedmont sphere of North Carolina it is also known as sweet bubby . The shrub is soooo fragrant in the spring and early summer . To me it smells like bananas . ”-Mari Maristany , Woodleaf , North Carolina
“ We have two growing in our Zone 5 coastal Maine placement ! They are not as nicely fragrant as I thought they would be . Evidently , one should test - smell the specimen before purchase since the fragrance is so variable . Mine smells sort of like vinegar!”-Amy Campbell , Rockport , Maine
“ I recognized this immediately ! When I was a girl , my mother planted one of these in our yard , and I have intercourse the fragrance!”-Lesley Gladden , Owens Cross Roads , Alabama
“ It was mature in my side yard when I bought my house 25 years ago and is still there and doing well . ”-Cynthia Eleazer , Florence , South Carolina
“ The mystery plant life for this month is sincerely my best-loved shrub since I was 9 years honest-to-goodness . The bouquet of the Carolina allspice is really amazing . ”-Susan Titus , Jamesville , New York
“ I just planted the young crossbreed ‘ Venus ’ , which promises larger whitened blossom with exceptional perfume . I ’m hop that the vivid flowers will show up better in semi - specter , too . ”-Julie Finucane , Owosso , Michigan
“ This nostalgic works is called by us North Carolina southerners a sweet-scented bubby bush ! This toothsome - smelling shrub always prompt me of my granny , as I learned to place it as a little child in her yard . ”-Amanda S. Harwood ; Faith , North Carolina
“ As a child many years ago , I enjoy to sniff the zesty fragrance of the sweet Betsy industrial plant outside our kitchen windowpane . In my current home , I have three specimen : a unfounded native from a admirer and the purchased cultivars ‘ Bear Creek ’ and yellow - blossom out ‘ Athens ’ , all of which have that grand odor . I still consider the only name for this industrial plant to be sweet-flavored Betsy , for that is what all us North Carolinians holler it , then and now . usual names note in books , Carolina allspice tree or sweetshrub or strawberry bush , do n’t fit my tongue . If I can happen the room , I intend to get ‘ Venus ’ also , that wonderful hybridisation betweenC. chinensis×C. floridus‘Athens ’ with the big , white , fragrant blossoms . Thanks for feature this grand aboriginal . ”-Julia Shields , Chapel Hill , North Carolina
“ Underappreciated , old - timey plant . We have one that has been here “ forever” … lovely perfume and nice long survive blooms . I love some of the fresh miscellanea come out , too . ”-John E. Webb II , Boones Mill , Virginia
“ It was seen often in the one thousand of north Florida in days of my young person . I loved this shrub because of its olfactory sensation . I put it in books , and anyplace else I could stash this flora ( only the brownish red leathery parts.)”-Norma Phillips , Palm Harbor , Florida
“ This is a majuscule shrub . It has lots of sucker , but boy are they worth it . I have the loss and the white , both beauties . ”-Yolanta Bogdziewicz , Rocky Point , New York
“ When I was a tiddler it was one of my preferent shrub in my parent ’ North Carolina backyard . We bid it dulcet Betsy bush . ”-Mary Firestone , Lafayette , Indiana
“ I remember this plant life from my childhood and today I have several establish in my side yard . ”-Libby Brooks , North Wilkesboro , North Carolina
“ I knew this industrial plant growing up as sweet bush . My father and I found it on an early springtime walkway , and he showed me the blossoms and how they have this wonderful fragrance . I have several establish at the edge of my backyard , and they are very drouth tolerant here in suburban Atlanta . ”-Judy Garmon , Powder Springs , Georgia
“ I have a friend who dwell in the foothills whose railyard is teem with these bush , and the sweetness is divine!”-Mrs . Rod Stanis , Duncan , South Carolina
“ When I was a child in Louisville , Kentucky , my best admirer had this shrub in her backyard . Her mother told her that when she was a girl they would wrap one of the fragrant flower , which smelled a bit like strawberry , in a handkerchief and take it to school with them . They would get out it out occasionally just to relish the sweet scent . What a prissy approximation . ”-Lynn Jones , Huntsville , Alabama
“ I researched it during my “ fragrance ” phase angle but was ineffective to detect any scent at all . But the flora is nice . ”-Grace Peterson , Albany , Oregon
“ A very overnice bush . I have view it as far northerly as Ames , Iowa ( in a very protected microenvironment.)”-Ann Bublitz , Cumming , Iowa
“ I recollect growing up hold this bush in our yard . One of the fond memories of my puerility in the sixty . ”-Shelby Brown , Cameron , North Carolina
“ I planted one about twenty years ago and now have four , thanks to its tendency to sucker . I delight its sweetness and save some of the smaller twigs from rationalize so I may enjoy it all year long . ”-Jeff Baker , Atglen , Pennsylvania
“ I love this plant ! I have diffuse it from my Grandmother ’s ( I take a works each time we move ! ) The J.C. Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University has crossed it with something to make the blooming larger . It ’s a beauty!!”-Sandra C. Brown , Hampstead , North Carolina
“ I have this small tree growing in my back cubic yard , outside a windowpane where many small birds utilise it as a perch before liting on my nearby feeder . How nice to have it play up here!”-Linda Wilk , Falling Waters , West Virginia
“ I ’ve loved this bush for years . My gran used to call it a “ sweet bubby bush ” but I grow up calling it “ sweet shrub . Some very nasty Caterpillar love this bush and are full of stinging spike . Ouch!”-Cynthia van Laar , Greensboro , North Carolina
“ I take care onward to the wonderful redolence at bloom season each year with this one but it ’s just as valuable for clean , attractive leafage . ”-Lelia Caswell , Waycross Georgia
“ It was pleasing to spread your varsity letter today and see one of my favorite shrubs , what we in the Catawba Valley of North Carolina call a “ sweet bubby . ” My odorous bubby come from my cousin ’s nursing home in Summerville , South Carolina . They transplanted it from our granddaddy ’s farm in Newton , North Carolina . Granddad died in 1946 and my aunt lived on the farm until her death in the 1980s . He dug it up then and I took a piece from him . This spring as I set up the last spot in my backyard for a perennial garden , I will remove this flora to a focal head there . ”-Joseph P. Hester , Claremont , North Carolina
“ I used to work with these on a daily basis when I was a groundskeeper and really enjoy the smell . ”-Jim Peterson , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania
“ I have cuttings from my grandma ’s huge specimen growing in my back yard!”-Marcy Hege , Cary , North Carolina
“ I love the direction these woody brown bloom smell lately in the day when warm up by sun . ”-Dawn Pettinelli , Storrs , Connecticut
“ I live in the mountains of western North Carolina and have been stop on my everyday paseo by the dish of these maroon bloom that show for a myopic time only . They are growing in the wood among pine , hickory , maple , and oak at 2,000′ meridian . The tree is about 10′ tall , fragile in stature and multi - trunked . Thanks for featuring this tree . ”-Carol Hancock , Deep Gap , North Carolina
“ The mystery plant is a dearie of mine ! It ’s a aboriginal of the easterly United States . The selected variety that ’s log Z’s in my garden is ‘ Athens ’ and it sports a yellow / immature flower in the outflow instead of the distinctive red . The blossom can have an highly fruity fragrance but choose sagely . Even the leaves are fragrant - hence the name sweetshrub!”-Susan Wall , Charlotte , North Carolina
“ I have one , we call it a “ bubby bush ” or “ gratifying shrub . ” We begin it from the bush of my friend ’s mother ( who has since passed away ) in Galax , Virginia . It has since been set out in each place we have lived : Fairfax , Virginia ; Upper Marlboro , Maryland ; and now in the northern neck opening of Virginia . We love it . ”-Vicki White , White Stone , Virginia
“ I first saw this plant in all its gloriole several eld ago , in a full - size of it version in a friend ’s backyard . As I entered the yard , I could n’t think the scent of hemangioma simplex that was make out from this spectacular bush . It was a few age after that I was happy to win a flora from our local country preservation plant sale . It blossom wonderfully in my shady Japanese garden , and enchant visitors with its fragrance.-Cynthia Lussier , Southampton , Massachusetts
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