WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO PLANT A DAPHNE?

Where is the best place to plant a Daphne?

The most popular cultivars of Daphne grown today, such as Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata', Daphne x transatlantica 'Pink Fragrance' and Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill', are all known for their glorious fragrance. And it's because of their scented superiority that they are often planted near front and back doors. That way, those-in-the-know can profit the most from their heady, early-spring perfumes.

However, being near a door doesn't really cut it when it come to providing favourable environmental conditions, So just where is the best place to plant a Daphne?

Daphne glomerata in its natural habitat
To begin which it is always best to research the conditions plants live in their native environments, assuming that information is readily available. That way you can work out how to provide the most favourable conditions for your plants. In general these species are found in Asia, Europe and north Africa. Though specifically, Daphne odora is a native to China, although later spread to Japan and Korea. Daphne bholua habitat stretches from Nepal to southern China, while Daphne x transatlantica is a hybrid of Daphne caucasica and Daphne collina. As you would expect, Daphne caucasica is from the mountainous Caucasus. 

Daphne bholua grows at altitudes of 1,700–3,500 m and usually found in pastures and grassy glades. In a northern European gardens it will perform well it in a fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. 

Daphne odora grows best in fertile, slightly acid, peaty, well-drained soils in either full sun or partial shade.

Daphne x transatlantica will enjoy being planted in a moderately fertile, slightly acid to slightly alkaline, humus-rich, well-drained but not dry soil. Position in sun or partial shade and due to its high altitude parent consider mulching during the summer to keep the roots cool.

In text image credit - By Sergei Kazantsev - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39928093

Main image credit - Miya GFDL, cc-by-sa-2.5, cc-by-sa-2.1-jp

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