THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603090069
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT STIFFLER, GARDENING COLUMNIST
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
DAPHNE IS A small shrub that could be a welcome addition to many yards. It generally has very fragrant flowers and bright fruits. But, the experts caution, it may die suddenly for no apparent reason.
``Daphnes are considered `cantankerous' shrubs to grow,'' according to the late Isabel Zucker in her book ``Flowering Shrubs.''
But Floyd Twiford, co-owner of Coleman's Nursery in Portsmouth, counters that with: ``They are so fragrant, so beautiful, that they're worth the trouble. I always recommend them. They bloom early, when people really want some fragrance and color around their home.''
Thus go the battle lines. It is clearly an attractive, fragrant plant, but it requires just the right soil and other growing conditions. Another drawback is that all parts are poisonous, especially the fruits.
Daphne will not grow unless it has perfect drainage, so it likes loose sandy soil. Full sun is needed for best blooms, but it will grow in some shade.
``A cool `root run' is the fourth and last requirement,'' Zucker writes. By that, she means that, like clematis, daphne needs a cool, shaded place for its roots. This often means applying lots of mulch.
In summer, daphne should be watered only if the soil has been dry for 10 days or more, because it does not like wet soils. Spring is the best time for planting or transplanting, but most are difficult to transplant and are best moved when small.
In the end, Zucker agrees with Twiford. She concludes: ``They are worth any additional trouble it takes to grow them, just for the scent of their flowers if nothing else. And I say that about very few shrubs.''
There are about three dozen species and varieties of daphne, both evergreen and deciduous, currently grown commercially in this country. Some available in nurseries now include:
Daphne burkwoodii `Carol Mackie.' This daphne grows 3 feet tall and as wide. It has star-shaped, fragrant, pale pink flowers as early as March. Its delicate green foliage has margins edged in cream.
Daphne cneorum, or rose daphne. When this shrub is in flower, its fragrance pervades the area. It has evergreen, gray-green foliage.
Daphne caucasica. This is a deciduous daphne that matures at 4 to 5 feet high and just as wide. It produces masses of tiny but powerfully scented white flowers in May and June. It continues to bloom on and off through the summer.
Daphne is often planted as a foundation shrub, because it is slow-growing and requires little pruning. Just make sure the soil has excellent drainage. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ROBERT STIFFLER
Floyd Twiford, co-owner of Coleman Nursery in Portsmouth, recommends
daphne as an outstanding shrub for this area.
KEYWORDS: WEEDER'S DIGEST by CNB