Winter and early spring is the best season for growing Daphne, Daphne is a beautiful flower with an enchanting fragrance. it attracts people with its beauty. You can get a wonderful scent from this flower.
The flowers of Daphne are very beautiful. They are charming red, pink, and white in color. Daphne is both perennial and deciduous. Commonly we grow Daphne Odora because it is perennial as is the popular Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postil’, which is deciduous.
All Daphne’s are fragrant flowers and this character is common among all of them. there are different varieties of leaves of Daphnes, their leaves are very attractive. The odor of Daphne flowers is very strong and they bloom in late winter. We should plant them near a path to enjoy their fragrance.
It is fact that if we plant them in a safe place without disturbance of wind and rain then they grow well, both in terms of size and number of blooming flowers on the shrub.
They are very attractive in appearance. They present beautiful scenery. It is a very pleasant landscape shrub. You can plant this with different patterns like bordering plants or landscaping etc.
Daphne is a long-lasting plant that is known as an immortal plant. There are some negative aspects of the Daphne plant like it is very toxic if eaten. We should use it with great care because its sap can irritate your skin and eyes and cause severe pain.
Where To Plant Daphne?
Keep in mind the following facts before planting this beautiful plant.
First of all, First make sure that nobody eats the flowers, berries, and leaves of Daphne because they are toxic in nature, in fact, it is too poisonous that if someone eats them it leads to his death. So Never plant them near the reach of children or pests.
- Another disadvantage of growing Daphne is that it died suddenly without any apparent symptoms. That’s why it is considered a temporary plant.
- Plant the Daphne bush where it can easily replace. If you handle the above two defects, it would not be difficult to care for.
- It does not require pruning and it makes the plant careless. It grows in informal form. You can cut the ends of stems after the flowers have withered to look them more formal.
Growing Daphne In Pots:
Due to some problems, people think that it is very difficult to grow Daphne in pots, and also they do not grow well in pots. This is true to some extent but we can grow them in pots. We can grow smaller species of Daphne in pots.
Size Of Pot:
Always choose a large pot for growing Daphne where they remained undisturbed for years because due to disturbance they do not grow well. So while planting Daphne size of the pot is very important.
The pot should be 300m wide and deep and should have good drainage holes. The color of the container is also significant. You should choose a container whose color matches not only your winter Daphne but also your house color and structure around it.
The environment should be suitable for plants. You can buy matching containers from nursery and garden centers. When you are going to buy a container from a nursery or garden center take a picture of your home and surrounding environment for selecting the container whose color match with the color of your house.
Filling Of Pot:
When you select the matching pot fill it with good quality potting mix. The Daphne which we grow in pots during winter needs moist but well-drained soil. Wet soil is not suitable for their better growth.
So when you plant the winter, Daphne, in the container use good clay or potting mix, or a 50/50 mixture of it. Make sure that container must contain drainage holes.
For better drainage add 20% perlite or pumice to the soil mixture. You can also use a piece of cloth for lining before filling the container .
This piece of cloth protects the drainage holes from covering with soil. When we put gravel in the container must cover it with a cloth.
Shifting Of Plant From Nursery Container:
Carefully transfer Daphne from the nursery container. You can use a cutting tool like a blade to cut the container. It does not necessary to loosen feeder roots before planting. Make sure that roots remain undisturbed.
Adjustment Of Plant In Pot:
A small amount of soil is enough at bottom of the container. When you plant Daphne bush into a container adjust the soil properly. you can remove some so the upper edge of the root ball sits 1/2 “below the edge of the container.
Again add potting soil around the root, and continually tamper it until the soil becomes equal to the top edge of the root. Give water o the plant until it starts overflowing from holes in the container. If you do setting during watering add more potting mix . Allow soil to dry out before watering again.
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Care For Daphne In Pots:
Location:
Do not place them in the full dark or shaded area always choose a spot with full sun or partial shade. Daphnes required a spot with a mixture of sun and shade because they are woodland shrubs. To make your day with the enchanting fragrance of Daphnes place your pot near a door or pathway.
Fertilizers:
Daphne grows in winter and needs less feed. You can use different fertilizers to feed them. But the best feed for them is light. The plants are grown in containers fed with water-soluble fertilizers in spring.
Mulching:
If we add some content of manure to the pot, it will increase their growth. This mulch keeps the roots cool and the soil humid. If you add too much mulch so it will utilize most content of water that’s why do not add more mulch. Make sure that the soil remains moist all the time. When the weather is dry and rainfall is less water the plant is on regular basis.
Soil pH:
The pH range for winter Daphne is 6.0-7.0.
Watering:
When the soil starts to dry immediately water it with a drip watering system. When Daphne is established it does not need much water.
Constant wet or soggy soil is harmful to Daphne like all other ornamental plants. But during dry or windy environments during summer apply water to the soil more often to keep it moist. In a dry environment, they need more water.
Pruning:
Daphne does not flourish properly on hardwood pruning, so heavy pruning is avoided. Only cut the branches which are damaged or stray and spoil the beautiful structure of the shrub. Only cut the damaged branch while other bushes remain untouched.
Light Preferences:
Daphne flourishes in deep shade to part shade. Light of morning sun with afternoon shade or all-day dappled shade is best. Avoid direct exposure in sun in the afternoon.
Diseases Related To Daphne:
The roots of Daphne usually rotted because of poor drainage. Keep the soil conditions right to protect them from rotting. Watering should be reduced for their protection.
If the soil lacks nutrients that are essential for proper growth then its leaves turned yellow. It is also susceptible to viral and other fungal infections.
Varieties Of Daphne To Try:
Selecting a better variety for growing Daphne is very challenging. It is not easy to select a variety. There are several varieties of Daphne, and these are the most widely grown and readily available:
Winter Daphne
If you are fond of solid scents then winter Daphne is best to grow, its fragrance is very strong and enchanting. It is four feet tall with arrows and glossy leaves.
There is a disadvantage to growing them because they suddenly die without any apparent symptoms. The flowers bloom in late winter. Aureo-Marginata is a popular winter, Daphne, with variegated leaves.
Garland Daphne
Garland Daphne (D. cneorum) is low heighted plant that is suitable to grow in rock gardens and edging pathways. The trailing branches spread about three feet.
Its flower bloom in spring. It is best to cover its stem with mulch after the flowers fade to encourage rooting. The best varieties include Eximia, Pgymaea Alba, and Variegata.
D. x burkwoodii
D. x burkwoodii is dependent on climate change, it can be evergreen, semi-evergreen or deciduous. Its height is maximum from 3-4 feet tall. it also blooms in late spring. And the second flush of flowers appears in late summer. The popular Carol Mackie is a variegated variety.
Daphne mezereum:
It loves to grow in the shade but can also tolerate full sun provided its roots never dry out. its flowers bloom in late winter. The color of the flowers is pink and violet. Its second flush appears in spring in form of new leaves and flowers.
Daphne bholua:
It is an upright growing evergreen. It produces flowers of variant colors from pink to white. It gives you a delightful fragrance.
Growing Tips For Daphnes:
- When we grow plants indoors we must bring them outside for healthy growth.
- Damaged leaves and flowers should be removed regularly. If plants become too tall we should cut their trunk which leads to formation of new branches.
- They can be propagated by stem cutting as well. Cut stem from its growing part remove its leaves and allow it to dry before planting. With proper care, you will get an established plant within the minimum period of 6 months.
- We can also grow them from seeds.
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