Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Daphne caucasica, 0 by david5311

david5311 wrote:
Well, gardens in the upper midwest have definitely reached the doldrums stage, at least as far as southern Michigan. Fall color is gone, cut off early by premature snow in October and lots of wind and rain. Even the late performers, Parrotia and the japanese maples and the kousa dogwoods have lost most of their leaves. And for some reason, this year in my new garden, the numerous native witchhazels, H. virginiana, have not put on any show. A few roses have a few flowers, but not like they do in some years, given the crappy weather.

But there is one shrub in my garden, Daphne caucasica, that is blooming its little head off. Literally, in full bloom, just as it is in April and through most of the summer. I believe these are actually hybrids, not the true species, at least that's the reading I recall from Blackthorn Nursery in England by Robin White, one of the Daphne gurus of the world. I have never yet managed to find and grow the selection 'Summer Ice' which is variegated and equally good at blooming.

But the straight species/hyrbrid, whatever it is by whatever name, is sure good enough. It has the longest bloom season of any shrub in my garden, April through December anyway. And the typical Daphne fragrance too.

Here it is today in my garden, a dreary cold rainy November day. And it will still be blooming in a month unless it gets really cold.

All gardens this far north should include this wonderful shrub, an important reminder that some plants go on and defy the weather and still carry the freshness of spring.