Daphne odora

Daphne odora
Daphne odora
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Thymelaeaceae
Genus: Daphne
Species: D. odora
Binomial name
Daphne odora
Thunb.

Daphne odora (Winter daphne) is an evergreen shrub, grown for its very fragrant, fleshy, pale-pink, tubular flowers, each with 4 spreading lobes, and for its glossy foliage. It rarely fruits, but when it does, it produces red berries after flowering.

D. odora is native to China and Japan, and grows best in fertile, slightly acid, peaty, well-drained soils. It grows in full sun or partial shade, and is hardy to -10 celsius, possibly lower. In Japan, the plant is more commonly known as Jinchoge.

Plants are not long lived, senescing within 8 to 10 years.[1] Daphne generally do not react well to root disturbance, and may transplant badly. D. odora is also susceptible to virus infection, which causes leaf mottling.[2]

Daphne odora is propagated by semi-ripe cuttings in summer.

Cultivars

  • D. odora f. Rosacea has white and pink flowers.
  • D. odora f. Rubra has dark red-pink flowers with reduced fragrance.
  • D. odora 'Aureomarginata' has yellow edged leaves, and is hardier and more suitable to cultivation than the plain-leaved forms .[3]

References

  1. ^ Flora, The Gardener's Bible, ABC Publishing, Sydney, 2005
  2. ^ The Reader's Digest Gardeners' Encyclpaedia of Plants & Flowers, Sydney, 1998
  3. ^ The Reader's Digest Gardeners' Encyclopaedia of Plants & Flowers, Sydney, 1998
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