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Daphne X Mantensiana

Daphne (DAF-nee m-ant-en-si-an-uh)

Family: Thymelaeaceae Non-native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

This Daphne is low-growing shrub to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. The pink blooms occur in clusters of very fragrant flowers in mid-spring and may rebloom in late summer. The glossy green leaves are semi to evergreen. Daphnes can be finicky to grow, but if you like a challenge and love fragrant flowers then choose your site wisely. Preference is for partial sun to partial shade with protection from cold winds. The soil must be very well-drained, moist to partly dry and not too fertile. They like clay to sandy soils. Daphnes don't take well to transplanting or excessive pruning either and have been known to die for no apparent reason. Use this shrub in a border, as a foundation plant, in small spaces or on slopes. Plant where the poisonous berries are not accessible to pets.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 47 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Cyperus prolifer Pinus elliottii

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Rounded; Spreading
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Narrow, dark green leaves; 0.5-1 in. long
Flower color
Pink
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower detail
Clusters of tubular fragrant pink blooms in spring. They are dark pink on the outside and pale pink within. May rebloom in late summer
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit detail
Small red drupes.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia, Europe
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Slope/Bank; Small Space; Walkways
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Garden for the Blind
Design feature
Border; Foundation Planting; Specimen
Garden tags
#evergreen
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.