Carolina sweet shrub is an early summer stunner

The lilacs and other spring-flowering trees may be finished blooming, but there’s still one shrub in our garden attracting a lot of attention these days.

It’s an import from the southeastern United States that’s covered right now with eye-catching red flowers.
    

Carolina sweet shrub (Calycanthus florida) is native to the American south from Florida to Virginia.

Both the leaves and the flowers of these shrubs, which are also known as allspice or strawberry bushes, have a sweet, fruity scent while the bark smells like camphor.