Things aren’t always cold and dreary in the winter.
What do you consider the most fragrant plant in the garden?
Several worthy candidates include jasmine, gardenia, lilac, and bearded iris.
Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata'.Credit: Steve Bender
These plants, along with many others, exude a wonderful garden fragrance.
Yet there is one shrub that undoubtedly belongs on this listthe winter daphne.
Deer typically won’t eat winter daphne, so its evergreen foliage is safe from these animals.
Credit: Steve Bender
As you might guess from its name, winter daphne (Daphne odora) blooms in winter.
These photos are from theAldridge Gardensin Hoover, Alabama.
Excellent drainage is essential as well-drained soil prevents root rot.
Planting it in heavy clay will restrict the roots, and the plant will not grow.
Water thoroughly once a week during summer droughts.
Once this plant starts to bloom, prune it sparingly.
The winter daphne fragrance is lovely.
you could smell it from far away.
It ranks very high on the Grumpy Gardener’s exclusive Scents and Smellability Scale.
Types of Winter Daphne
Garden centers typically sell two kinds.
The Leucanthe variety is relatively disease resistant and contains white-throated pale pink blooms.
‘Mae-jima’ is typically smaller and has leaves with edges of cream and yellow.
United States Department of Agriculture.USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
