EDGEWORTHIA CHRYSANTHA

Home » Home and Family » Gardening Join Sign in EzineArticles - Expert Authors Sharing Their Best Original Articles Search Geoff Bryant Basic Author | 14 Articles Joined: February 7, 2010 New Zealand Edgeworthia Chrysantha By Geoff Bryant | Submitted On September 14, 2004 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Although it is a member of the Thymelaeaceae, the family that includes the daphnes, it would be hard to imagine a plant less like a daphne at first glance. However, if you are familiar with the deciduous Daphne genkwa, there is some hint of resemblance there. The genus comprises three very similar species from China and Japan. It is named after Michael Pakenham Edgeworth (1812-81), a part-time botanist, plant collector and employee of the East India Company. The plant grown in our gardens and sold in garden centres is commonly labelled E. papyrifera, which is actually a different species. There is some confusion over this, even among botanists. Apparently E. papyrifera has white flowers, not the yellow of E. chrysantha, though some botanists regard them variations of one species. Edgeworthia chrysantha is a heavily-wooded deciduous shrub. It grows to around 1.2-1.8 m high by 1.5 m wide. Its 12.5-17.5 cm long, pointed oval leaves are soft green with prominent midribs and felted when young. The foliage is attractive, especially when young, but this is a plant grown for its flowers. They are bright yellow aging to creamy white, tubular and about 1 cm long. Individually they are nothing much, but they are densely packed in 8 cm diameter globose heads. The are very fragrant and open until late winter from buds that have been obvious from late autumn. The flowers are followed by dry, purplish-green berries known technically as drupes. This is an often underrated shrub and I'd be the first to admit that it is not always instantly appealing. At first, its rather sparse growth and very heavy branches can seem grotesque. But with time these things tend to be overlooked in favour of the delicate colouring and fragrance of the flowers, and the beauty of the new foliage. A moist, well-drained, humus-enriched soil with partial shade is best - the sort of conditions you would give your rhododendrons and camellias, or for that matter your daphnes. It is hardy to around -15°C and thrives in a cool temperate climate. Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings, aerial layers or seed. Try Edgeworthia, it's not difficult to grow and although bare for much of the year it has its moment of glory when flowering, and definitely has that 'weird' appeal that makes it one for the collector. I am a garden book author and horticultural photographer based in Christchurch, New Zealand. I run a stock photo library called Country, Farm and Garden ([http://www.cfgphoto.com]). This article may be re-published provided this information is published with it and is clearly visible. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Geoff_Bryant/551033 0 Comments | Leave a Comment Did you find this article helpful? Happy Face1 Sad Face0 Viewed 12,621 times Word count: 391 Article Tools EzinePublisher Report this article Cite this article Stay Informed Subscribe to New Article Alerts: Home and Family: Gardening Geoff Bryant Email Address Subscribe We will never sell or rent your email address. Gardening Article Feed Gardening Article Feed Find More Articles Search Similar Articles What Are Flowering Shrubs? Flowering Shrubs - The Meaning of Sleep, Creep, Leap in the Gardening World Flowering Shrubs - Are They the Best Choice For Your Yard? Zone 5 Gardening Tips - Choosing the Best Flowering Shrubs Pruning Flowering Shrubs and Bushes - Some Essential Tips For Success Scented Shrubs for the Garden Uses of Shrubs in the Garden Gardening Using Trees and Shrubs with Scent in Mind It's Spring - Flowers For Fragrance and Color Your Flowers, Shrubs and the Greenhouse in Mid November Recent Articles Planning Your Garden Part 1 6 Easy Tips for a Beautiful Lawn How to Manage Parrot Feather - Some Options How to Control Dollarweed (Pennywort) in Your Lawn Water Fountains - Defining Your Home Decor Plant Vegetables in April For a Southern California Summer Harvest Top 10 Plants to Make Your Garden Smell Like Heaven New to Gardening? Read These 6 Tips to Grow Beautiful Plants Hugelkultur for Long Term Soil Creation, Water Storage and Soil Management Why I Love Living in the Country EzineArticles.com About Us FAQ Contact Us Member Benefits Privacy Policy Shop Site Map Blog Training Video Library Advertising Affiliates Cartoons Authors Submit Articles Members Login Premium Membership Expert Authors Endorsements Editorial Guidelines Terms of Service Publishers Terms Of Service Ezines / Email Alerts Manage Subscriptions EzineArticles RSS © 2017 EzineArticles All Rights Reserved Worldwide