Spicebush, Lindera benzoin, is a native, non-invasive shrub or sometimes small tree in the laurel family that grows throughout the central and eastern United States and into Ontario, and in every county of West Virginia. It stands 3-16 feet tall and is an understory species that often forms thickets in low woods, along stream sides, and on swamp margins, preferring rich, mesic sites with acidic to basic soils in full or partial sun. It flowers in March and April, its red berries usually mature from August to October, and its leaves turn bright yellow in fall. Deer, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, and more than 20 species of birds, especially wood thrushes, browse its leaves and berries, helping disperse its seeds. The Eastern tiger swallowtail and the spicebush swallowtail lay eggs on the plant, and their caterpillars feed on it after hatching. The sweet, spicy fragrance of its stems, leaves, and fruits gave spicebush its common name. Native Americans used its dried fruits to flavor tea, plant extracts have been used to make anti-arthritic, emetic, and sweat-inducing drugs, herbal steams have been used to ease aches and pains, and early settlers used its presence as a sign of nutrient-rich agricultural soil.