- Shop Now
- Burncoose Specialities
- This Month
- Offers & Promotions
- RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024
- 40 years at Burncoose
- Engage With Us
- Information, Help & Advice
- About Us & Our Services
- Terms & Conditions
- Log In / Register
DAPHNE
Genus of about 100 species of deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen shrubs from Europe, northern Africa and temperate and subtropical Asia.
Their main attraction is the clusters of usually heavily scented flowers. Some have variegated leaves. They can be grown in borders, rock gardens and in a woodland setting.
The "Eternal" series are a result of a successful 30 year breeding programme to produce a free-flowering Daphne more tolerant of a wide range of soil and garden conditions.
All are attractive to bees and other insects, the earlier bloomers being particularly useful.
D. mezereum, Mezereon, is the native. Found in woods on calcareous soils is very rare.
-
Semi-evergreenKeeps some of its foliage all year, and will drop some leaves as well.Linear to lance-shaped leaves 4cm (1½in) long.
-
Shades of pinkAll shades of pink through to Carmine (red)
-
Height1.5m (5ft)
-
Spread1m (3ft)
-
Medium shrubTypically grow to around 4-6 feet in heightVase-shaped shrub. Flowers in terminal clusters of up to 16, 8mm (less than ½in) across.
-
Hardy - average winterHardy through most of the UK apart from inland valleys, at altitude and central/northerly locations. May suffer foliage damage and stem dieback in harsh winters in cold gardens. Plant can withstand temperatures down to -10°C (14°F)
-
Full sun
-
Partial shade
-
Additional FeaturesGood to knowAll daphnes resent transplanting. x burkwoodii has a habit of shedding leaves in dry summers. This does not affect the performance of the plant and new leaves appear in autumn or spring. Attractive to bees and other insects.Pests & DiseasesAphids, leaf spot, grey mould, viruses.Place of originGarden origin. Hybrid raised by Albert and Arthur Burkwood, Kingstone-on-Thames, Surrey, UK., in the 1930's.
-
HardinessFrost hardy (down to -5)
-
Scented PlantsScented flowers
-
Soil ConditionsFertile well drained soilHumus rich but not dry - mulch to keep roots cool.Neutral soil preferredOr slightly alkaline to slightly acidic
-
WildlifeBee friendly
1.5m (5ft)
|
![]() |
![]() |
1m (3ft) |
Buy Varieties of DAPHNE
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE bholua 'Darjeeling'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_bholua_darjeeling_1472_s.jpg)
DAPHNE bholua 'Darjeeling'
very pale pink flowers fading to white
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE bholua 'Garden House Ghost'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_garden_house_ghost_6646.jpg)
DAPHNE bholua 'Garden House Ghost'
heavily scented white flowers in winter
![Royal Horticultural Society 'Award of Garden Merit' (AGM) AWARD](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/misc/agm_large.png)
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE bholua 'Jacqueline Postill'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_bholua_jacqueline_postill~4.jpg)
DAPHNE bholua 'Jacqueline Postill'
large and showy intensely fragrant purplish pink flowers
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE bholua 'Limpsfield'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_limpsfield.jpg)
DAPHNE bholua 'Limpsfield'
purple-pink in bud, opening paler with white to purple tones. Richly scented and floriferous
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE bholua 'Mary Rose'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_mary_rose_6518a.jpg)
DAPHNE bholua 'Mary Rose'
deep purple-pink, darker in bud. Comparatively large flowers and highly scented
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE bholua 'Spring Herald'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_spring_herald_6267.jpg)
DAPHNE bholua 'Spring Herald'
pure white flowers on this early flowering and highly scented shrub
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE gemmata](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_gemmata_5650.jpg)
DAPHNE gemmata
bushy habit and clusters of yellow flowers in late spring to summer followed by red fruits
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE laureola subsp. philippi](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_laureola_1480.jpg)
DAPHNE laureola subsp. philippi
fragrant yellow-green flowers beneath polished green leaves. Semi-prostrate habit
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE mezereum 'Rubra'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_mezereum_rubra_1481.jpg)
DAPHNE mezereum 'Rubra'
scented purplish-red flowers
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE odora](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_odorata.jpg)
DAPHNE odora
fragrant with reddish-purple flowers
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE odora 'Aureomarginata'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_odora_aureomarginata_1483b.jpg)
DAPHNE odora 'Aureomarginata'
leaves have a yellow margin which becomes creamy-white with age
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE odora f.alba](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_odora_alba.jpg)
DAPHNE odora f.alba
(var leucantha) - pure white flowered form
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE odora 'Mae-jima'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_maejima_6024.jpg)
DAPHNE odora 'Mae-jima'
compact habit and attractive creamy-yellow edged green leaves. Profuse dark pink, strongly fragrant flowers
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE odora 'Marianni'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_marianni_6025_s.jpg)
DAPHNE odora 'Marianni'
('Rogbret'). - green leaves with broad golden yellow margins. Very fragrant tubular pink flowers in late winter, early spring
![© Burncoose Nurseries, all pictures for illustrative purposes only. DAPHNE 'Perfume Princess'](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/daphne_perfume_princess_5991.jpg)
DAPHNE 'Perfume Princess'
large clusters of very fragrant white flowers with a hint of pink at the centre
Useful extras...
![](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/Vitax_Q4_6202.jpg)
![](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/grow_your_own_front_22.jpg)
![](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/tomatoe_front.jpg)
![](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/rootgrow_6203.jpg)
![](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/RootgrowEricoid_6204.jpg)
![](https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/img/products/squaremedium/empathy-allpurpose_6208.jpg)