Daphne arbuscula

RHS Plant Profile

shrubby daphne

RHS 1999

Shrubs

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A rounded, dwarf evergreen shrub to 15cm tall, with narrowly oblong, dark glossy green leaves to 18mm long. Flowers deep pink, very fragrant, in dense clusters at the ends of the shoots in late spring and early summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
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 & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Thymelaeaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Matforming
Potentially harmful: TOXIC if eatenskin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling TOXIC to pets - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Daphne can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs with small, usually very fragrant tubular, 4-lobed flowers, often followed by colourful berries
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Czech Rep. Hungary Slovakia

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, humus-rich well-drained but not dry soil. Mulch to keep roots cool. Prefers slightly acid to slightly alkaline soil in full sun. Resents transplanting

Propagation

Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame as soon as ripe. Insert softwood cuttings in early to mid-summer, and semi-ripe and evergreen cuttings in mid or late summer. Graft in winter or layer in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Gravel garden
Rock garden
City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 1 or pruning group 8, keep pruning 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