About
A compact semi-evergreen bushy shrub to a height of up to 1m, with oval-shaped green leaves edged with pale yellow to cream and terminal clusters of small, perfumed purplish-pink flowers with paler lobes, in late spring.
About the genus
Daphne can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs with small, usually very fragrant tubular, 4-lobed flowers, often followed by colourful berries
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHNeutral, Alkaline, Acid
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeShrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageSemi evergreen
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height10-20 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden
FragranceFlower
ToxicityTOXIC if eaten, skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling TOXIC to pets - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
CultivationGrow in fertile, moist but well-drained soils. Not reliably hardy in exposed conditions. Resents transplanting. See Daphne cultivation for more details
PruningSee pruning groups 1 and 8; keep pruning to a minimum
PropagationPropagate by semi-hardwood cuttings or grafting
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), phytophthora root rot, fungal leaf spot and virus diseases