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Chimonanthus praecox (Wintersweet)

Wintersweet, Japan All-Spice, Calycanthus praecox, Chimonanthus fragrans

Chimonanthus praecox, Wintersweet, Japan All-Spice, Calycanthus praecox, Yellow Flowers,  Winter Flowers

Prized for its attractive and sweetly scented winter blooms, Chimonanthus praecox is a deciduous shrub that adds beauty and fragrance to the garden when most plants lie dormant. In mid-late winter, a profusion of small, highly fragrant, bowl-shaped flowers with almost transparent, greenish-yellow outer petals and short reddish-purple inner tepals appear on the naked branches. They may last until early spring, depending on the winter temperatures.

Bushy, this upright, vase-shaped flowering shrub has a slightly arching habit and sports shiny lanceolate, dark green leaves which turn yellow in fall. One of the finest plants that the winter garden can offer! This shrub will usually take a few years to start to flower, but it is worth the wait.

  • Grows up to 10-15 ft. tall (300-450 cm) and 8-12 ft. wide (240-360 cm)
  • This plant is best grown in full sun in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Drought-tolerant when established.
  • Mass in mixed shrub borders for dramatic winter blooms. Great flowering shrub for cottage gardens or city gardens.
  • Low maintenance, this plant is generally pest and disease free.
  • Minimal pruning is required. Remove crossing, dead or diseased branches in late spring.
  • Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame as soon as ripe. Can also be propagated by softwood cuttings in summer.
  • Native to China

Requirements

Hardiness 7 - 9
Heat Zones 7 - 9
Climate Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Plant Type Shrubs
Plant Family Calycanthaceae
Genus Calycanthus, Chimonanthus
Common names Wintersweet
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early), Winter
Height 10' - 15' (3m - 4.6m)
Spread 8' - 12' (240cm - 3.7m)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy
Tolerance Drought
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Wall-Side Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Calycanthus floridus (Carolina Allspice)
Calycanthus ‘Venus’ (Sweetshrub)
Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’ (Sweetshrub)
Calycanthus occidentalis (Californian Allspice)
Calycanthus chinensis (Chinese Sweetshrub)
Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’ (Sweetshrub)
View All Our Calycanthus

Recommended Companion Plants

Eranthis hyemalis (Winter Aconite)
Cornus sanguinea ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’ (Bloodtwig Dogwood)
Crocus tommasinianus ‘Ruby Giant’ (Early Crocus)
Leucojum vernum (Spring Snowflake)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

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Pretty Flowers for your Winter Garden
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 7 - 9
Heat Zones 7 - 9
Climate Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Plant Type Shrubs
Plant Family Calycanthaceae
Genus Calycanthus, Chimonanthus
Common names Wintersweet
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early), Winter
Height 10' - 15' (3m - 4.6m)
Spread 8' - 12' (240cm - 3.7m)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy
Tolerance Drought
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Wall-Side Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Not sure which Calycanthus to pick?
Compare Now

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