Yes, it is possible especially if you don’t pay good attention in late fall.
Somehow I didn’t notice the first fruit produced by Calycanthus until last Saturday! It flowered beautifully last spring and then a few green fruits were aborted during late summer. I thought that was it and didn’t pay attention afterwards.
A nice surprise; I received the young plant three years ago from a friend and it was very satisfying for both of us to see it fruitful :)
Calycanthus floridus (Carolina allspice) is an excellent native shrub which can be grown in many situations from sun to shade; fast growing with beautiful shiny foliage, it is rarely affected by any pests. Did I forget to mention the sweetly fragrant, burgundy flowers?
The fruit is an interesting large, brown capsule, which can be mistaken with a fallen leaf/small branch, and holds few large seeds. They are very easy to germinate (read about nicking) and show up with convoluted cotyledon leaves (a rare case).
Speaking NA natives, I put together a short list of other species which flower around the same time in mid April-May, and are suitable for cold climates. They all grow in the same bed with the Calycanthus. If only I would have more space….
T. cuneatum, T. luteum, Uvularia grandiflora, Mitella diphylla, Asarum canadense, Hepatica acutiloba, Trautvetteria caroliniensis