A delightfully fragrant winter - bloom shrub , winter daphne adds evergreen interest to garden bed and border .
When most of the landscape takes a much - merit rest , winter daphne(Daphne odora)is busy unfurling wildlyfragrant flowers . Depending on the area where you garden , this circular , evergreen shrubblooms in winterto early spring ( about February through May ) . Its pinkish , magenta , or lavender flush open in small clusters at the tips of the bush ’s branch . Many variety show of winter daphne have variegated or two - tone leaves that give the shrub year - stave stake . Here ’s how to grow winter daphne in your garden .
Keep pets and child away because every part of this plant is highly toxic to humans and beast , including the leaves , Berry , bark , roots , seeds , and stems .
Credit:Doug Hetherington
Where to Plant Winter Daphne
engraft fragrant winter daphne where you may enjoy its perfume . employ it in a mixed borderfor presence yr - cycle and winter involvement . spring up it along a walkway or patio so you may enjoy its delightful aroma when it is in bloom . Plant it near an entryway or anywhere you frequent in the landscape painting . Small cultivarsgrow well in small space gardensor containers .
Choose a part shade locationwithwell - drain soil . This small bush is not bad for the compass north or eastern United States side of your house . The skillful planting site receives four to six minute of bright sun in the morning and spectre in the afternoon . Winter daphne maturate 3 to 4 feet tall and wide , so give it plenty of space to expand .
Doug Hetherington
Credit: Mary Carolyn Pindar
How and When to Plant Winter Daphne
flora wintertime daphnein early spring or declination . Dig a planting trap slimly large than the works ’s stem ball . Situate winter daphne in the planting hole so that the top of the root ball is level with the palisade grade . Backfill the planting hole with aboriginal dirt , tamp it down to withdraw air pockets .
spread out a 2 - inch - thicklayer of mulchover the root zone and water the newly institute shrub well . piddle the plant life on a regular basis for about eight weeks , providing supplemental water as necessitate so it receive about 1 inch of water supply a week . After that time , winter daphne will have established a robust root system ; at this power point , it needs supplementary tearing only during extended juiceless period .
Winter Daphne Care Tips
Light
Winter daphne acquire just in part nuance . It expand when it receive 4 to 6 hours ofbright sunlightin the morning and shade in the afternoon . These plants will develop in deeply shaded locations but take on a loose , leggy appearance in time , and inflorescence is limited .
Soil and Water
Well - drain , loose soilis saint for wintertime daphne . It is specially sensitive to wet grease . the Great Compromiser and boggy planting sites are not worthy for this evergreen . It is not uncommon for a works to suddenly cash in one’s chips when the soil is soggy for more than a twosome of weeks . After the shrub is established , only irrigate the plants during extended dry spells .
Temperature and Humidity
Winter daphne tolerateshigh temperatures and humidity . It is wintertime - hardy to about 10 ° atomic number 9 and needs protective cover in cold expanse .
Fertilizer
wintertime daphne does not require plant food . In early saltation , you could provide extra nutrients by spreading a 2 - inch - thickset level ofwell - decomposed compostover the root zone .
Pruning
Winter daphne has a course circular shape andcan be prunedafter flowering if postulate to remove dead or broken in branches . As the plant ages , cut back two cane to the background in other spring each yr for three years to rejuvenate the bush .
Potting and Repotting
Winter daphne grows in containers with excellent drain . apply a soilless planting mix and allow for the bush to dry out slenderly between lacrimation . It does n’t transplant well , so forefend repotting .
Pests and Problems
wintertime daphne has few pests , although it isvulnerable to aphid , which can be assure with applications ofneem oil color .
badly debilitate soil is the primary landscape painting trouble this slow - to - grow shrub encounters . When planted in a backbreaking clay or a soaked site , such as a clinical depression , winter daphne drops its foliage and quickly dies from lack of O to its radical . select the planting site carefully ; the ideal soil is rich , loose loam .
How to Propagate Winter Daphne
Stem cuttingsare an easy room to make more winter daphne shrub . In midspring , after the plant end up flowering , snip a 6- to 8 - in lengthof new , tender growth from the end of a branch . Strip any foliage from the bottom half of the cutting and dunk it in root hormone . establish the thinning in fast - draining , soilless sensitive and keep the medium moist but not wet until roots take shape . Transplant the rooted slip into a larger container or directly into the landscape painting . Water regularly until a robust source system is established .
Types of Winter Daphne
Banana Split
Banana split daphne ( Daphne odora‘Monzulzay ’ ) is a raw winter daphne selection with morose green and yellow leaves . The plant ’s wide yellow leaf margin are strike in the landscape . Itspink flower budsopen to white heyday . Banana split daphne grows 4 invertebrate foot marvelous and wide . geographical zone 7 - 9
Maejima
Maejima winter daphne ( Daphne odora‘Maejima ’ ) is a piece de resistance in theshade garden . It is prized for its chickenhearted - green variegated leafage and profuse dark pink heyday that are highly fragrant . It grows 3 feet tall and wide . Zones 7 - 10
Moonlight Parfait
Moonlight parfait winter daphne ( Daphne odora‘MonStrk ’ ) has arise - pinkish flower bud that open to fragrantwhite flowers . The foliage is boldly variegated ; each leaf has a wide , creamy border . The showy leave make it eye - catch all twelvemonth round . It grows 3 to 4 feet tall and extensive . Zones 6 - 9
Winter Daphne Companion Plants
The serious companion plants for winter daphne shrubs relish the part ghost conditions this evergreen plant privilege .
Japanese Maple
The colourful leafage ofJapanese maplesmakes a stunningfocal point in the landscape painting . This type of maple grow smaller than other types ( up to 8 foot grandiloquent ) and has delicate foliage in a panoptic regalia of colors . Several diverseness are useable , including a dwarf Nipponese maple . All of them feature the vivacious leafage theJapanese mapleis known for .
Astilbe
Astilbeis an ornamental , fern - like plant that produces spikes of feathery flowers . Its good for you foliation add wonderful texture and color to a garden . In spring , new leaf often emerge bright green with blushes of bronze . Some varieties confine that color year - pear-shaped , and others put up deep chocolate / burgundy foliage . These industrial plant grow as mounds and stay compact with no training . In summertime , they ’re top with fantastic feathery spike of tiny flowers in shades of pinks , reds , purples , and whites .
Camellia
The pinkish , red , and white flowers ofcamelliashrubs blossom in spring , fall or wintertime , depend on the smorgasbord . Most produce from 8 to 20 feet marvelous and thrive in mottled nicety , although some multifariousness require more unaccented . They are comparatively easy to care for and enjoy cool temperature , but frost damages them .
Heath
Better Homes and Gardens
on-key heathsoffer an astonishing scope of leaf and bloom color , well beyond the pinks of the heathers . They also come in marvelous shrub forms and even some small trees . With one C of species and cultivars , the heaths furnish a full variety of colors and efflorescence meter .
Azalea
endearing saltation - bloomingazaleasare arresting when covered with pinkish or white flowers , and some varieties feature a reblooming habit for time of year - foresightful color . They handle shadowy locations well and clear up dark corners of the garden .
Frequently Asked Questions
wintertime daphne is n’t long - lived ; expect it to survive for eight to 10 years with optimal care . It does n’t tolerate being transplanted well , so settle it where you want the plant to remain .
wintertime daphne is a slow grower that rarely want pruning except to hit damage outgrowth . If you must cut back the shrub , do it decent after it bloom to avoid damaging the following season ’s flowers .
The little bloom of winter daphne pack a big clout of flowered scent mix with energizing bank note of citrus . Catching a whiff of these blooms signals the scratch line of spring .
Credit: Karlis Grants
No , this plant is both cervid and cony - immune . This give the blossom a great option for unfenced area of your home .
No , wintertime daphne is not invasive . However , there are some other types of daphne that are consider invasive , like Daphne - laurel , also sleep together as spurge - laurel .
Daphne Odora . North Carolina State University Extension Toolbox .
Credit: Robert Cardillo
Credit:Better Homes and Gardens
Credit: Sherry Lubic
