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Botanical Name: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Daphne Deciduous shrub/Evergreen shrub Full sun to part shade

A group of small evergreen or deciduous shrubs prized for their delightfully fragrant spring flowers and their fine-textured, blue-green foliage. They are known to be tricky to grow, probably because their exact requirements are not well understood. The general recommendation is to plant them in full sun or partial shade and in soil that retains moisture but is well drained (automatic irrigation is specifically not recommended). Soil pH should not stray too far from neutral. Beyond that, the only way to gauge your ability to grow a Daphne is to plant one. It’s definitely worth a try, for a Daphne in full bloom, its showy flowers perfuming the air, is a treasure no one can resist. Plant these beauties next to patios, in rock gardens, or along walkways.

D. x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’. This variegated cultivar, which appeared as a sport in a garden in New Jersey in the early 1960s, is the best known and among the easiest to grow of all the Daphnes. It has lovely cream-edged foliage and very fragrant, star-shaped white flowers that are tinged with pink. Bloom is heavy in May, and it’s not unusual to see a smattering of flowers in late summer. The leaves are semievergreen, slowly turning brown and dropping as winter progresses. ‘Carol Mackie’ has a rounded habit and makes a striking accent in a shrub or mixed border. 4ft x 5–6ft. Zone 4.

Daphne cneorum – Rose Daphnes are low-growing, mat-forming, evergreen shrubs that literally bury themselves in strongly scented pink or white flowers in late April and early May. They tolerate both light and heavy soils but demand excellent drainage. They look fantastic flowing over the edge of a retaining wall or wrapping around a stone in a rock garden. Zone 4.

D. c. ‘Eximia’. This is the Rose Daphne to which all others are compared. It is relatively large in leaf and in flower. Dark red buds open to heavily fragrant, bright reddish pink blooms in midspring. Plants have a sprawling habit. 10–12in x 4ft.

D. c. var. pygmaea. Similar to ‘Eximia’ but more dense and compact in habit. Foliage is also smaller and finer. The flowers are rose-pink and long lasting. 8–10in x 3ft.

D. c. var. pygmaea ‘Alba’. The white version of the above. It shines as the sun goes down. 8–10in x 3ft.

D. c. ‘Ruby Glow’. The flowers are an especially dark pink. Stunning with Grape Hyacinths. 1ft x 4ft.

D. genkwa. A deciduous species bearing clusters of lightly fragrant, lavender-blue flowers on bare branches in early May. When in bloom, it looks like a dwarf Redbud. Habit is compact and rounded. 3ft x 3ft. Zone 5.

D. x mantensiana. A compact, free-flowering shrub that begins to produce its very fragrant, orchid-purple flowers in April, followed by occasional rebloom through summer and fall—right up to Thanksgiving. The small, rounded dark green leaves are semievergreen. 2ft x 2ft. Zone 6.

D. x napolitana. This evergreen hybrid bears dense clusters of small, deliciously fragrant, rosy purple flowers that open from gray-violet buds in early April. It forms a dense, spreading shrub with narrow, deep green leaves. 2–3ft x 2–3ft. Zone 6.

D. retusa. This evergreen native of China and the Himalayas bears sweetly scented white flowers that open from dark purple buds in early May. Plants have a globe-shaped form, growing slowly to a mature size of 2ft x 2ft. Zone 6.

D. x transatlantica ‘Beulah Cross’. (Formerly D. caucasica Variegated.) A variegated selection of the following that was found here and named after Jim Cross’s mother. It has a nice compact form and the same ever-blooming qualities. 3ft x 3ft. Hardy to Zone 6 for sure, perhaps Zone 5.

D. x t. ‘Jim’s Pride’. (Formerly D. caucasica.) A rounded, open-branched shrub with matt green, semievergreen foliage and an amazingly long run of bloom. The delicately scented white flowers begin to open in April, appear in profusion in May, continue sporadically through summer, then close out the season with a strong show in October and November. This Daphne is less temperamental than most of the others we’ve grown. 4ft x 5ft. Zone 5.

Deutzia Deciduous shrub Full sun to part shade

Deutzias are deciduous shrubs grown for their plentiful white or pink, bell-shaped flowers, which are produced in erect clusters in late May or early June. They are easy to grow in full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. They tolerate a wide range of soil pH.

D. x elegantissima ‘Rosealind’. ‘Rosealind’ produces an abundant mass of soft carmine-pink flowers in early June on a small, upright shrub with wiry stems. The effect is airy and delicate. Use in the shrub border, along the edge of woods, or in groups. 4ft x 4ft. Zone 6.

D. gracilis ‘Nikko’. A low, mounding ground cover with four seasons of beauty. Clusters of white flowers smother the plant in late May; the bright green summer foliage turns a lovely shade of mahogany in fall; and finally, the golden blond stems provide winter interest. ‘Nikko’ is perfect for use in foundation plantings, as an edging in a shrub border, or as a companion for perennials. Winner of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal. 11/2–2ft x 4–5ft. Zone 4.

D. ‘Pink Pompon’. (‘Rosea Plena’.) A sturdy, upright shrub that makes loads of double pink flowers in early June. The bright green foliage turns burgundy in fall. Height: 4–6ft. Zone 5.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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