Chimonanthus praecox

Wintersweet

Location:

The Walled Garden.

Description:

A deciduous shrub, native to China, with a bushy, much-branched habit, growing to 2.5m or higher against a wall. Leaves are lance-shaped, 5-12cm long, shining dark green. Highly fragrant flowers solitary or in small groups, almost stemless, borne in winter at the joints of the previous summer's shoots.

Site and Care:

Grow in any type of well drained soil, in sun or partial shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. Prune in the spring, after flowering, removing older wood to maintain shape. Avoid over pruning; best results come from allowing it to expand to its natural size although it can be trained back against a wall. Propagation is by softwood cuttings in summer.