About
Calycanthus floridus 'Athens' is a deciduous shrub that typically grows to about 2.7 meters in height. This plant features dark green, oval to elliptic leaves, which can reach lengths of up to 15 centimeters and transition to a golden-yellow hue in the fall. In late spring and early summer, it produces pale yellow, fragrant flowers measuring up to 5 centimeters across, which emerge at the tips of short branches. Following the flowering period, urn-shaped fruits develop.
About the genus
Calycanthus are deciduous shrubs featuring simple leaves that emit a pleasant aroma, along with solitary, fragrant blooms that appear during the summer months.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- North-facing, East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 2.5-4 metres
- Spread
- 2.5-4 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden
- Fragrance
- Flower, Foliage
- Toxicity
- Humans/Pets: Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Prefers moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Shelter from cold, drying winds
- Pruning
- Prune immediately after flowering to shape and maintain size. Remove root suckers promptly to limit spread
- Propagation
- Propagate by softwood cuttings
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely)