Aphrodite Sweetshrub

Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 5-6′

Width at Maturity: 5-6′

Spacing: 5′ for solid hedge; 10’+ for space between plants.

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Broad, Bushy

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: Rose Pink with a Mauve tint

Flower Size: 1.5″

Flowering Period: Late Spring through Summer

Flower Type: Double

Fragrant Flowers: Yes, strawberry-scented

Foliage Color: Deep Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade, All Day Filtered Sun, Morning Shade with Evening Sun

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sandy (amended), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist

Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.5 (Moderatly Acid to Slightly Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Very Low

Attracts: Visual Attention, Butterflies

Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Drought, Heat, Humidity, Insect

Other Common Names: Spice Bush, Carolina Allspice, Strawberry Bush, Bubby Bush, Sweet Betsy, Sweet Bubby and Sweet Booby

Description

Gifted with the largest and most beautiful blooms in the Sweetshrub family, unlike other Calycanthus varieties that just bloom one time annually, ‘Aphrodite’ produces its strawberry-scented Magnolia-like flowers in spring and summer! The flowers stand out nicely against large very glossy leaves that provide a tropical effect in the garden. Leaves turn a vibrant yellow in late fall. This native will grow in sun or shade and is ignored by deer but loved by butterflies. A “must have” plant in gardens where it will grow!

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 6 to 7 feet tall and wide, the Aphrodite Sweetshrub is ideal for use as a specimen, grouping, background or natural hedge in sunny to partially shaded landscape borders and flowering shrub or woodland borders. Sweetshrub is ideal for planting close to the house near a window or entryway where the fragrance may drift indoors. Plant additional plants by a favorite path or sitting area. A fine addition to cottage, wildlife and North American native plant gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 5 feet apart for solid hedge; 10 feet or more apart for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden North of USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 5a, where this Sweetshrub variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and place back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Sweetshrubs are exceptionally easy to grow in a moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and full sun to part shade. We’ve seen no serious insect or disease problems and plants are quite drought tolerant when established.

Note: Find helpful advice from our experts under the Planting & Care tab above on desktop screens or below on mobile phones.

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Questions? Contact Us

I paid $39 for this “Perfect” beauty. This plant has been the one of many purchased from Wilson and it arrived in perfect condition. No yellowing, broken, decaying leaves, the specimen seemed healthy, and raring to be transplanted into my grow bags. Today, it looks like it really likes it’s place in my fragrance garden, perky, growing and looking forward to giving me those great looking fragrant flowers. Very pleased by the choice I made to get this one.——————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Arrived in great shape, seems to be settling in well.———————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

5/14/23 I purchased Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’ from Wilson Bros. Gardens and am very pleased. The website is informative, communications via phone and email were helpful and friendly, the shrub arrived in excellent condition due to top-notch packaging, and it has grown to twice the size in 2 weeks. I was so impressed I placed another order for a Magnolia soon after.—————————————————-Thanks for the photo! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I recently ordered this item and was very impressed with how fast it shipped, the fact that it shipped free, and when it arrived the size and quality of the plant. I will definitely be placing additional orders!—————————————————Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

As usual, the plant arrived here in great shape from Wilson Bros. We have planted it outdoors without it even wilting with the replanting. The plant is doing very well, and we expect it to overwinter to provide really nice color and aroma next spring – great for bees). Highly recommended.————————————————————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Ordered one gallon size. Plants arrived in about a week in excellent condition. Very full and healthy leaf structure. Just put them in the ground a couple of weeks ago but they appear to be “happy” thus far. Just a note for those of you who are doing native plantings. This hybrid was developed via NC State but from asian varieties. Not a bad thing but just a heads up. Probably should not be listed in Native section of website.I also ordered a true native version from Wilson so it will be interesting to see how they both perform with regards to growth and ability to attract pollinators.——————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

The one gallon plant of the 4 ordered plants arrived yesterday evening, a day before the expected date of delivery. The condition of the plant far exceeds all my expectations in every respect, since this is my very first experience with purchasing plants online. The plant was in perfect shape, and the soil was moist to the touch, and now lo anxiously await the other 3 plants arrival today. I was surprised as to how big the plant was, and i could not be more pleased with the way it was packaged. Thank you Wilson Bros Gardens, and thank you to Sunny for your very helpful comments in answering all my questions over the phone! I look forward to making more purchases with Wilson Bros Gardens.——————————————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

This is a nice addition- I bought this in the spring, & as you can see, it has reached the same height as my bird house- I have this under a large oak tree, which gets shade, & filtered sun. The flowers are beautiful in the spring, & even without the flowers , it has a unique shape & adds character to the corner of my yard! As usual, Wilson Brothers did an outstanding job on the shipping & provided a healthy & beautiful plant!——————————————————–Wow! Thanks for the photo! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Planted the Carolina Allspice in a sun garden with an irrigation drip system. Gets regular watering, In recent days, we have had temperatures in mid 90’s, leaves are drooping and turning yellow. Is this to be expected? Have purchased regularly from you and well pleased with your plants.————————————————I’m sure it will recover. Keep us posted! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

This plant arrived quickly and was larger than expected and very healthy. Very happy with my purchase and would gladly do business with them again.————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

This Aphrodite bush arrived safely and was over the top packaged for the travel. Beautiful and green leaves! I cannot wait to see the beautiful flowers! Well done!! I will order from you again!———————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Arrived on time – beautiful shrub – carefully packed for shipping,——————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I am excited to see how the sweet shrub grows and if it smells as good as the one my Grandmother had in her yard.
Arrived healthy and well packed.
Thanks!———————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

This Aphrodite Sweetshrub was very healthy and larger than I expected for a 1 gallon size. The leaves are beautiful – I can’t wait until it has flowers. Am looking forward to buying more from Wilson Bros next season!——————————————-We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

I purchased the one gallon size, and was surprised at how large the shrub was. It looks very healthy, and the deer have passed it by. Very satisfied.————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

My Aphrodite Sweetshrub arrived within the stated shipping timeframe & it was so well packaged. The plant arrived safe & sound. It’s shape is beautiful and I’m so looking forward to this upcoming seasons blooms. I will not hesitate to order from Wilson Brothers Gardens in the future.———————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Plant arrived in great shape and was much larger than I expected…. love the color of the leaves and waiting for spring and hoping for blooms its first year…—————————————You should get blooms this coming Season! We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

This plant, incorporates a vibrant lighter green color, into my yard. I look forward to its flower contrast and fragrance. I placed it, 8 feet from my patio, to offer a screen, and shade from the early afternoon western sunlight.—————————————-Thanks so much for your review. Let us know if there’s ever anything else we can help you with. 🙂 – Beth | WBG

The Sweetshrub arrived healthy and packaged well. it’s in the ground and doing well.————————————
We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

So, my order arrived faster than I thought it would, and my plants were in great shape. Planted them that weekend, and they had begun leafing out by the end of the week! I love them and hope they love their new home!

Received three one gallon pot plants as ordered. Have planted and they seem to be doing quite nicely. Will continue to monitor and report progress.
So far I am a satisfied customer.————————————–Hi Paul, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Aphrodite Sweetshrub. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Keep us posted! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

The Carolina Allspice bush is gorgeous – a most generous size for a 1 gallon pot. I expected a much smaller plant. I remember my mother having one long ago and I know that it will bring back lovely memories for many years to come. The packing, as always, was superb and not a leaf was out of place. Thanks for such care for the wonderful plants that you provide.———————————————-Hi Martha, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Aphrodite Sweetshrub. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the wonderful review! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

Received a large and healthy plant. I look forward to seeing these flowers bloom.——————————————————–Hi Diane, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Aphrodite Sweetshrub. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

…so good. My Carolina Allspice plants arrived in good shape and in a timely manner. Got them in the ground promptly, watering per the instructions, and they seem to be thriving. At this point I am very pleased with this purchase from Wilson Bros.———————————————Hi Kyle, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Aphrodite Sweetshrub. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

I’m wary of buying shrubs online because you never know what they will look like, or how they will do during shipping. I bought a Sweetshrub and American Beautyberry and BOTH looked like I had gone to a garden center and picked them out myself! The 1 gallon Sweetshrub was short and broad, with healthy leaves, and moist dirt. The packaging is robust and held up during shipping. I’m looking forward to years with this plant!———————————————————Hi Kinsey, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Aphrodite Sweetshrub. We are so glad Thanks for the great review!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

My second order from Wilson Bros. Once again I was very pleased with the healthy condition of the plants and look forward to years of enjoyment. My landscaper was so impressed she asked for the site info. Well done!——————————-Hi Beverly, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Aphrodite Sweetshrub. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

Cannot say enough about how easy and pleasant it was to deal with Wilson Bros. The Carolina Allspice was not available at the time I ordered it but I was told when it would most likely be ready for shipment. It was ready sooner than anticipated, shipped promptly and arrived beautifully packed and looking gorgeous. Will certainly look to Wilson Bros when I cannot find what I want locally. Thanks so much!————————————–Hi Carol, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Aphrodite Sweetshrub. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens