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 a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae, native to China, Japan and Korea. It 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, producing red berries after flowering.

The Latin specific epithet odora means "fragrant".^[1]

It grows best in fertile, slightly acid, peaty, well-drained soils. It grows in full sun or partial shade, and is hardy to −10 °C (14 °F), possibly lower. In Korea, the plant is also poetically called "churihyang" - a thousand mile scent - referring to the fragrance of the foliage. In Japan, the plant is more commonly known as "jinchoge".

Plants are not long lived, senescing within 8 to 10 years.^[2] 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.^[3]

All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans and a range of domestic animals^[4] and some people experience dermatitis from contact with the sap.^[5]

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] This cultivar has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.^[6]

References

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