Daphne

A newer hybrid (Daphne cf. sureil x D. bholua 'Peter Smithers') from breeder nonpareil Robin White, this is perhaps the first introduction to the US. A vigorous selection that is expected to reach 9' tall and perhaps 6' across, this has pink-backed white flowers from January to April that are intensely fragrant - we cannot wait for ours to reach full maturity and the ensuing olfactory slam-dance nostrilizing overload exploding our heads. It is close enough as a teenager! Has been unfazed in our shade garden by three successive winters with 10F that has killed stalwarts and battered Daphne bholua. Evergreen to semi-evergreen and on own roots - not grafted.

Dwarf Daphnes - if you can and aren't, then you must as soon as humanly possibly. The selections from the natural hybrid x hendersonii originally found in the Italian mountains are all excellent candidates and 'Ernst Hauser' is stellar with fragrance to boot. A 16" mound of goodness.

Uncommon species which has proven durable in containers and in the garden where it handled a nasty 12F winter with equanimity. Pink-backed white flowers followed by red fruit on stiffly upright stems. From Erlangshan in Sichuan growing with the rare Epimedium flavum on a slope with Cardiocrinum in the wet thicket behind.

A Hinkley collection of this species often parading about as the similar D. longilobata. These are second-generation seed-grown plants of this very amenable, easy in the garden species. Small white flowers with a light purplish calyx and showy fruit that is always produced in abundance. Sort of semi-deciduous most winters here.

Daphne is a genus with a justifiable reputation for being finicky to downright contrary. This species is not so and is as amenable as they come. Evergreen shrub with narrow leaves and lots of nicely scented white flowers that are purple-pink on the outside. Blooms in spring and sporadically thereafter into fall. The origins of this particular form is that seed from a good reblooming clone in England was sent to the former proprietor of Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery, Baldassare Mineo (quite a rarity himself) who then shared seed from his plants with us. Is it any better than the typical species which tends to rebloom? We have not grown it long enough to compare but you can't go wrong with this sturdy and rewarding species.

This is the less common white form of the deservedly popular February Daphne. It's February as I'm writing this and there are fat white buds studding the bare vertical stems just like it is supposed to be doing. We have Kelly's East Coast brother from another mother, Daphne Master Jon Knight to thank for these plants. This a tough plant and very good in the garden with a vertical vase-shaped habit and early spring reason-to-live gloom-of-winter dispelling white flowers which are followed later in summer by orange-red berries. Good with Hellebores, Corydalis solida, Hepatica and Pulmonaria angustifolia for a delightful spring showing.

This uncommon Daphne calls the Caucasus Mountains home and we find even its glossy green leaves an ornamental asset but really, one grows Daphne for the flowers. This has terminal clusters of narrow yellow flowers which are very pleasant and the fun continues after blooming with good display of showy red fruit. Which is where these came from. Best in part sun and does great at woodland edge.

The best seedling from a cross Robin White made between Daphne acutiloba and Daphne sericea 'Collina' with acutiloba as the seed parent although the pollen parent dominates the characteristics. Robin authored a monograph on Daphne and is a genius breeder and nurseryman with impossibly high standards. Goodson is his mothers maiden name so quality is a given in the low, open domed plant with fragrant, dusky pink flowers.