''Daphne odora'', winter daphne, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Thymelaeaceae,
native
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
to China, later spread to Japan and Korea. It is an
evergreen
In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
shrub, grown for its very fragrant, fleshy, pale-pink, tubular flowers, each with four spreading lobes, and for its glossy
foliage
A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
. It rarely fruits, producing red berries after flowering.
The Latin
specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''odora'' means "fragrant".
It grows best in fertile, slightly acid, peaty, well-drained soils. It grows in full sun or partial shade, and is hardy to , possibly lower. In Korea, the plant is also poetically called "chullihyang" – a thousand-mile scent – referring to the fragrance of the foliage. In Japan, the plant is more commonly known as "jinchoge".
Plants are not long lived, usually lasting eight to ten years. ''Daphne'' generally do not react well to root disturbance, and may transplant badly. ''D. odora'' is also susceptible to virus infection, which causes leaf mottling.
[The Reader's Digest Gardeners' Encyclopaedia of Plants & Flowers, Sydney, 1998]
All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans and a range of domestic animals and some people experience dermatitis from contact with the sap.
''Daphne odora'' is propagated by semi-ripe cuttings in summer.
Cultivars
*''D. odora''
f. ''rosacea'' has white and pink flowers.
*''D. odora'' f. ''rubra'' has dark red-pink flowers with reduced fragrance.
*''D. odora'' 'Aureomarginata' has yellow edged leaves, and is hardier and more suitable to cultivation than the plain-leaved forms.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1156295
odora