Daphne sericea Collina Group
Neapolitan daphne
A group of compact evergreen shrubs, to around 50cm high, with rounded, densely branching habits and elliptic to lance-shaped, glossy green leaves to 5cm long, with silky hairy undersides. Clusters of fragrant pink and white flowers are produced in late spring and early summer, followed by round red fruits
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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Pink White | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Pink White | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter | Green |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Thymelaeaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy
- Potentially harmful
- TOXIC if eaten, skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
- Genus
Daphne can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs with small, usually very fragrant tubular, 4-lobed flowers, often followed by colourful berries
- Name status
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in deep, fertile, evenly moist, preferably neutral soils; will not tolerate drought or waterlogging. Mulch to keep roots cool. Plants resent transplanting. See daphne cultivation for more details
Propagation
Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer, or by grafting in winter
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Rock garden
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
See pruning groups 1 and 8; pruning is best kept to a minimum
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids
Diseases
May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), phytophthora root rot, fungal leaf spot and virus diseases
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.