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Chimonanthus praecox

wintersweet

© RHS
Sold by 53 nurseries

  • Other common names wintersweet
    Japan all-spice

  • Synonyms Calycanthus praecox
    Chimonanthus fragrans

  • Family Calycanthaceae

  • Genus Chimonanthus can be evergreen or deciduous shrubs with simple leaves and highly fragrant, bowl-shaped, many-petalled flowers borne in winter, followed by cylindrical or urn-shaped seed capsules

  • Details C. praecox is a deciduous shrub 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. Flowers solitary or in small groups, almost stemless, borne in winter at the joints of the previous summer's shoots. Highly fragrant, the outer tepals almost tranparent, yellowish-green, inner tepals shorter, dark reddish purple

  • Plant range China

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Habit Bushy

  • Fragrance Flower

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H5

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Aspect South-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureWell-drained, Moist but well-drained

  • SoilClay, Chalk, Loam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 2.5-4 metres

  • Ultimate spread 1.5-2.5 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 10-20 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow in well-drained soil in a sheltered position in full sun

Propagation Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame as soon as ripe. Can also be propagated by softwood cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types Flower borders and beds Low Maintenance Wall-side Borders City & Courtyard Gardens Cottage & Informal Garden

How to care

Pruning Pruning group 1

Pests Generally pest free

Diseases Generally disease free

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