S i mn itt Nurs e r y

Daphne ‘Jim’s Pride’ is a highly-recommended cross between D. transantlantica and D. collina. It grows well in a variety of environments and has large, great-smelling white flowers all summer long. S i mn itt Nurs e r y

Daphne × burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’ has pretty, variegated leaves, blooms in early summer and adapts well to a variety of conditions, including cold and drought. S i mn itt Nurs e r y

“It is little surprise that discerning gardeners are rarely without at least one daphne in their collection.” — UK Plantsman Robin White, Daphnes: A Practical Guide for Gardeners, Timber Press, 2006

Daphe odora ‘Marginata’, commonly known as winter daphne or fragrant daphne, is the most widely-grown type of daphne.

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Easy to love

These Daphne cultivars require little care and offer distinctive looks, an intoxicating scent and year-round interest

Daphne cneorum — known as rock daphne or rose daphne – blooms starting in April and was still in bloom at Simnitt Nursery in November. Due to its very small stature (12 inches tall, spreading to 3-4 feet wide) it’s a good choice for rock gardens. It has a fantastic daphne fragrance.

By Elizabeth Petersen LLC who frequently specifies daphne Chris Steinke of Youngblood No wonder people go gaga for in his designs. Nursery, in Salem, Ore., which daphne. “Daphne is very popular and for grows several daphne species and culti- Late in the dormant season, when good reasons,” he said. “It’s a really good vars, agreed. gardeners’ senses are starved for inspi- garden plant. The genus has plenty of “There’s nothing more impressive ration, the amazing winter-flowering qualities to recommend it, and every than daphne for winter fragrance and a daphne (Daphne odora and its culti- homeowner should have one up near profusion of flowers, and it’s possible vars) gives us fragrance – and, oh, what the house where they can enjoy it. The to have daphne in bloom in every sea- a fragrance. Few would dispute blooms are packed with fragrance and the son,” he said. “Some will bloom once its appeal. foliage is beautiful. Plants tend to bloom per year, while others will start bloom- But daphne has a reputation. Is it a for a long period, re-bloom or spread out ing in early spring and re-bloom clear finicky prima donna, liable to kick off the bloom over a very long season. into the late fall.” for no apparent reason? Does it require “My clients request fragrance, an Since the diverse genus includes coddling? evergreen presence and, most of all, plants that are very small to almost Not at all, according to landscape low maintenance, and daphne is close designer Roger Miller, of Homescaper, to four-star in all of them.”

FEBRUARY 2010 ▲ DIGGER 29 ▲ EASY TO LOVE Picks It isn’t hard to get growers to talk about plants. The tough part is getting them to narrow down their list from the of favorites to just a handful. Here are some of the PProsros varieties our sources recommended: S i mn itt Chris Steinke Jerry Simnitt Youngblood Nursery Simnitt Nursery Nurs e r Salem, Ore. Canby, Ore.

Lokta daphne or paper daphne (Daphne Pieris japonica ‘Little Heath’ – This compact- y bholua) – This growing pieris deciduous is easy to grow, daphne has and is ideal for a fabulous smaller landscape fragrance that spaces. It has you can smell white flowers and from a block variegated foliage. away. It grows New growth is up to 8 feet light red. Zone 5. tall and blooms Daphne × burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’ in early-to-late winter, depending on the – Although weather. Easy to grow, it makes an excellent this is an background plant. It is known as lokta or older variety, paper daphne because, in its native Nepal, the it is still hard bark is used for making paper. to beat the Creeping milkwort or chapparal pea showy fragrant (Polygala flowers in the chamaebuxus spring and the ‘Kamniski’) lush variegated – This cool, foliage in the Daphne transatlantica cultivars, formerly known low-growing summer. Both drought and cold hardy. Zone 4. as Daphne caucasica, are known for their rugged evergreen Rhododendron myrtifolium – This adaptability to a variety of conditions. plant forms compact growing a stunning large, some evergreen and others rhododendron is carpet of deciduous, they fill many design needs underused, and ideal purple and for tight spaces. It in the garden. yellow, offers year round sweet-pea- “Their compact size makes daphne interest. It blooms like flowers very early, usually in February. plants a good option for close to the with small, light-pink Tasmanian pepper bush (Drimys lanceolata) flowers in late May. house, where they won’t overwhelm – This attractive Then, in the fall and the windows or entry,” said Miller. evergreen thrives winter, its foliage turns “Daphne plants fit into the smaller size in bright shade! bronze-red. Zone 5. landscape. Since most stay small (3-6 Its beautiful, Daphne tangutica – This is an evergreen bright-red stems feet tall and wide), it is easy to find a daphne with dark green hold narrow, place for one in almost any garden.” waxy leaves. The fragrant 3-inch leathery flowers begin with The lower, wider shrubs fit beneath leaves, copper-red lavender buds and then windows or lend evergreen or structural as they emerge, open to light pink. The and turning green presence to the border, and the larger, flowers are very fragrant as they age. The upright plants lend a delicate aesthetic and have the added shrub grows benefit of producing red beneath trees. rather slowly to berries in late summer. 6 feet. Grows to 5 feet tall and The care and handling of daphne Oriental paper bush (Edgeworthia wide. Zone 6. A major selling point is that daph- chrysantha) – This relative of the daphne Rock daphne (Daphne cneorum) – This is a plant bears fragrant, bright yellow flowers nes are easy-care plants. well known on bare stems in “Anyone can grow Daphne odora,” plant, but mid-to-late winter. it should said Miller. “Daphne can fend for them- The bark on this be used deciduous plant selves for the most part. They don’t more due is an attractive need pruning and they won’t outgrow to its dark, reddish brown evergreen their spaces.” color, and the foliage and His advice: “The less care, the bet- medium green fragrant hot leaves are large ter; especially in summer, avoid too pink flowers. and tropical- much water.” If planted in the correct place, it can handle looking. It grows to very dry conditions and extreme cold. Stays Jerry Simnitt, co-owner of Simnitt 5 feet in height and width.

small, only growing to 1 foot by 3 feet. ▲ 32

30 FEBRUARY 2010 ▲ DIGGER New varieties create excitement and sales opportunities

newvarieties New plant introductions can stimulate

SHOWCASE sales and excite everyone involved in 0 growing, selling and buying plants.

If you are breeding or growing new varieties that will be in production and ready for sale in fall 2010 or spring 2011, use the New Varieties Showcase display garden at the 2010 Farwest Show and coverage in Digger magazine to boost your plant’s visibility.

Here s how Submission ’ forms and complete guidelines are available on the Farwest Show Web site at www. farwestshow.com/nvs. Forms are also available by e-mail or fax by e-mailing [email protected] or calling 503.682.5089 or 800.342.6401.

Submission deadline: March 1, 2010 ▲ EASY TO LOVE c urt kipp

Daphne × transantlantica ‘Summer Ice’, shown here growing at Youngblood Nursery, is a favorite of many designers. It flowers from spring through fall with very fragrant pale pink flowers, and has lovely white-and-green, variegated foliage.

Nursery in Canby, Ore., grows an bred to have the best of both par- Famous for fragrance assortment of Daphne cultivars. “The ents, so they have a better chance of The winter or fragrant daphne hardest part is what the grower does: surviving not-so-ideal conditions and (Daphne odora), especially the varie- rooting, transplanting and getting plants often flower more.” gated form ‘Marginata’, also known as to retail,” he said. The shrubs should be watered ‘Aureomarginata’, is “by far the most In his view, the reputation of “on a slow drip to ensure a deep root well known and widely grown culti- daphne shrubs as fragile can compro- system, which daphne need to thrive,” var,” according to Steinke. Its pink buds mise their long-term survival more than Steinke said. appear in January and open to light anything. pink flowers in February and March. “People hear that daphne is finicky, Availability of daphne “The aroma of sweet citrus is so sometimes they try too hard to take Only a handful of Oregon growers so thick that on warmer days it can good care of them, but daphne prefer to focus on producing daphne. “It’s a small envelop a neighborhood,” Steinke said. be left alone,” Simnitt said. “The plants niche market,” Simnitt said. Leathery foliage is evergreen. are extremely hardy and super drought- Of the many varieties in the genus, D. o. ‘Zuiko Nishiki’ flowers for a tolerant when established. The decidu- few are commercially available, but that longer period, with flowers similar to ous ones can take conditions down to may change. Selections with more land- ‘Marginata’ starting in February and con- minus 30.” scape uses are gradually finding their tinuing through April. “The scent can Steinke agreed. way onto the market. be noticed 20 feet away” from this ever- “To place a daphne in clay and/ “Daphne sell themselves when they green shrub with golden margins on the or wet soil is sure death, and killing are in bloom,” Simnitt said. foliage, Steinke said. them with kindness – too much water That, however, limits the time of ‘Rebecca’ and ‘Mae Jima’ they – happens all too often,” he said. year growers can ship them. They tend are “odora types that flower in winter “Proper site conditioning and place- to perform better in the ground than in with pink buds opening to pale pink- ment make all the difference. Daphne a container, so Simnitt Nursery grows all white flowers,” said Steinke. “They plants need very well-drained, but daphnes in the field and field digs them have superior variegation compared to moist, soils. into containers for sale. Some larger ‘Marginata’.” “For success with daphne, do sizes are also available B&B. D. odora selections prefer protec- your site prep properly, don’t over Youngblood Nursery, a leading tion from hot afternoon sun and are water, and stick with hybrid varieties Oregon daphne grower, lists 19 varieties wider than they are tall, about 3-4’ tall for best success. Hybrid varieties are in its 2009 catalog. and 4-6’ wide.

32 FEBRUARY 2010 ▲ DIGGER SIMNITT NURSERY Best all around D. transatlantica (formerly D. caucausica) “does well in more loca- S ciaiing • Rhododendrons n: tions and is more adaptable” than other • Daphne • Kalmia 138 NE 22nd Ave. • Canby, Oregon 97013 phone 503-266-9640 • fax 503-263-6330 Daphne selections, according to Simnitt. • Pieris “It is least finicky, develops the nicest www.simnittnursery.com root structure, blooms all summer and doesn’t require pruning,” he said. Simnitt isn’t alone in this opinion. The cultivar ‘Jim’s Pride’ was recom- mended by every source interviewed for this article. A hybrid between D. caucasica and D. collina, it has large, rich green foliage and white, extremely fragrant flowers. The cultivar ‘Summer Ice’ is a “great one,” according to designer Roger Miller. He specifies it more than any other daphne. Valued for its variegated foliage and fragrant, pale pink flowers, this evergreen choice has a long flowering period, spring through fall. “‘Summer Ice’ is always in demand,” Steinke noted. Youngblood Nursery is increasing production of it. Simnitt predicted that the new ‘Eternal Fragrance’, bred by U.K. plants- man Robin White, will hit the mass NURSERY market in 3-4 years. This selection, salem, oregon © which still has limited availability, is more compact with a heavier bloom than others, he said. White described it is as having a “neat, bushy habit,” and dark green leaves that are shorter and narrower c urt kipp

Daphne 'Summer Ice' Exceptional Service Exceptional Plants

8125 Windsor Island Road North, Salem OR 97303 Daphne ‘Lawrence Crocker’ is a small-statured hybrid (D. arbucula × D. colina) from the garden Phone: 503 390 8619 Fax: 503 390 0028 of Lawrence Crocker, one of the founders of the Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery in Medford, Ore. Email: [email protected] Growing to just 12 inches tall and wide, it bears www.youngbloodnursery.com fragrant lavender flowers from spring to fall. 34 ▲

FEBRUARY 2010 ▲ DIGGER 33 ▲ EASY TO LOVE

than ‘Jim’s Pride’ and the spring flush are also highly regarded and popu- of flower is more generous than that of lar. According to Steinke, ‘Briggs ‘Jim’s Pride.’ Moonlight,’ ‘Carol Mackie’ and Miller likes this small one (2.5 feet ‘Somerset’ are “wonderful plants” and wide and tall) for the front of a border, easy to grow, forming compact mounds where its tighter, rounded habit and that bloom in early summer. fragrant ongoing bloom can be appre- ‘Briggs Moonlight’ has striking yel- ciated. ‘Eternal Fragrance’ is available low foliage with green margins, and from Youngblood Nursery in #5 con- Simnitt Nursery is building its stock to tainers and will be available in #2’s meet demand. next season. ‘Carol Mackie’ is “about as hardy as they come,’ said Steinke. Fabulous foliage and bloom According to Simnitt, “(This) pretty Selections of D. × burkwoodii summer plant with variegation takes c urt kipp

Daphne mantensiana ‘Manten’ was created in 1941 by Jack Manten. A cross between Daphne × burkwoodii ‘Somerset’ and Daphne retusa, this evergreen has become an enduring favorite. It has clusters of orchid-purple flowers throughout the year and grows to about 2 feet.

34 FEBRUARY 2010 ▲ DIGGER “For success with daphne, do your site prep properly, don’t over water, and stick with hybrid varieties for best success”.

Chris Steinke Youngblood Nusery Salem, Ore.

harsher conditions than others, includ- ing cold and drought.”

One of a kind Daphne ‘Lawrence Crocker’ (D. arbuscula × D. collina) is an excellent plant. Steinke called it “one of the finest garden plants we have come across.” Dark green, glossy, evergreen foliage forms a 12-15-inch mound with fragrant, lavender flowers. “It is a seemingly per- petual bloomer from spring through fall and is always in demand,” he said. Daphne × ‘Kilmeston’ PP 18361 is a new dwarf selection offered by Youngblood Nursery. The low growing plant (1 foot by 2 feet) has bluish-gray foliage and a bushy habit. Pink flowers start in April, and after a period of new growth a much more prolific period of flowering occurs in June through September, Steinke said. He recom-

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FEBRUARY 2010 ▲ DIGGER 35 ▲ EASY TO LOVE

mends that gardeners avoid overhead watering, site it in well draining soil and protect it from temperatures below 10 degrees.

Early bloomers The deciduous February daphne (D. mezereum) starts blooming in January before leaves appear, with intensely fragrant lilac-purple flowers up and down the bare stems. Red ber- ries appear later. Simnitt Nursery propa- gates this plant, the second smallest of those it grows, by seed.

Smallest Rock daphne (D. cneorum) is the smallest daphne grown commercially at Simnitt Nursery, and the one grown in the largest numbers. The prostrate evergreen plant gets about 12 inches tall, but can spread to 3 feet or more, so it is popular for use in rock gardens. It produces flowers starting in April and it was still in bloom at the nursery in November last year. The tough evergreen plant is popu- lar in Canada, including British and Ontario, Simnitt said. Daphne cneorum grows and flowers best when planted in full sun, in soil that is well drained.

Biggest D. bholua is the largest daphne, a later winter bloomer that can grow to 20 feet in its native Nepal (more like 8 feet in the Pacific Northwest), with long, narrow evergreen foliage and pale pink, extremely fragrant flowers.

A note of caution If there’s one drawback with daph- ne, it’s that all parts of the plants are poisonous, especially the berries. They can look very tempting, so plant with care where small children may be around.

Elizabeth Petersen writes for gardeners and garden businesses, coaches stu- dents and writers, and tends a one-acre garden in West Linn, Ore. She can be reached at [email protected]

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