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Thymelaeaceae
Winter Daphne
Daphne odora
Sweet awakening, glory, immortality.
- Family
- Thymelaeaceae
- Genus
- Daphne
- Native to
- China, Japan
- Bloom season
- Late Winter, Early Spring
- Type
- Evergreen shrub
- Height
- 1–1.5 m
- Sunlight
- Part shade
- Soil
- Rich, slightly acidic, sharply drained
- Water
- Moderate; resents soggy roots
- Hardiness
- 7–9
- Lifespan
- 10–20 years
Did you know
- Winter daphne is one of the most powerfully fragrant flowers in the entire plant kingdom — a few sprigs can perfume an entire room.
- The fragrance is most intense in cold air, when most other scents are dormant, making it a prized late-winter shrub in mild climates.
- In Greek mythology, the nymph Daphne was turned into a laurel tree to escape Apollo — though this plant is unrelated to true laurel, the genus borrowed the name.
- Every part of the plant is toxic, including the brilliant red berries — historically the bark was used to make rope and paper in Japan.
- Daphne is famously temperamental — it will thrive for years and then suddenly die for no apparent reason, earning it the nickname 'the heartbreak shrub'.
Color meanings
Pink
Long-awaited joy