Daphne odora
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- DAF-nee oh-DOH-rah
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Evergreen, densely-branched short-lived evergreen shrub that grows to 6 and 1/2 feet tall. The flowers are rose-purple or white, extremely fragrant, and appear in the mid-to-late winter when little else is blooming. Its glossy evergreen leaves lend to year-round interest for this shrub. Plant it in the full sun to partial shade in moist, very well-drained soil that can dry out between watering. It works well in containers, as a specimen plant or planted along foundations. They do well planted under deciduous shade trees. Consider cutting them back severely if they get to leggy after flowering to invigorate growth.
This plant is moderately salt tolerant. Though the plants last for only three or four years they are easy to propagate from stem cuttings
Quick ID Hints:
- Leaves coriaceous, alternate, crowded, look whorled
- Evergreen shrub with shiny dark green leaves
- Fragrant terminal 1" cymes in winter
- Salverform, cream to purplish flowers w/4 lobes
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Relatively pest and disease-free. It tends to be short-lived.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Deck Planting
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Maejima'
Yellow variegated leaves pink flowers - 'Shinano Nishiki'
Three colored variegated leaves, pale pink flowers - 'Variegata'
Yellow leaf margins
- 'Maejima'
- 'Maejima', 'Shinano Nishiki', 'Variegata'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Maejima'
Yellow variegated leaves pink flowers - 'Shinano Nishiki'
Three colored variegated leaves, pale pink flowers - 'Variegata'
Yellow leaf margins
- 'Maejima'
- 'Maejima', 'Shinano Nishiki', 'Variegata'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Daphne
- Species:
- odora
- Family:
- Thymelaeaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South China to Vietnam and Taiwan
- Wildlife Value:
- Bees are attracted to the nectar and pollen and butterflies, moths, and flies are attracted to the nectar in this winter flowering shrub.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Moderately salt tolerant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Mounding
- Rounded
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Description:
- Seldom produces fruit. A fleshy drupe, red.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Description:
- Rosy purple buds open rose pink; flowers in late winter to early spring; fragrant. A cyme, terminal, to 1". (5-10) creamy white to purplish, fragrant, salverform, to 1/4"; calyx a cylindrical fleshy tube with 4 spreading lobes; petals 0.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cuneate
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, leathery, shiny, dark green leaves; 2-3" long; pointed and tapered at each end. Elliptic-oblong, acute, cuneate, entire, coriaceous, shiny.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Few, erect.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Foundation Planting
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Salt
