Chimonanthus praecox – Chimonanthus fragrans – Japanese Allspice – Wintersweet –

Description

Chimonanthus – Wintersweet – There are about 6 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs, in this genus. They occur in woodland in China. They are grown for their unusually, small, many petalled, open bowl shaped, translucent, waxy textured and very fragrant flowers, which are borne from early to mid winter before the young leaves emerge.   The leaves are simple, tin textured, arranged in opposite pairs. Flowers are followed by fruit of a strange shape. Grow wintersweets as specimen plants or in a shrub border. They may also b e trained against a sunny wall. Flowers can be dried. Grow in any fertile, well drained soil in full sun. C. praecox – C. fragrans – Japanese Allspice – This vigorous, broadly upright, deciduous shrub from China grows 10-15′ feet tall and wide. It produces smooth edged, lance shaped, glossy, mid green leaves, to 8″ long, rough above, smooth beneath, arranged in opposite pairs, and turn yellow in autumn. In winter it bears an abundance of pendent, fragrant, sulfur yellow flowers, 1″ across, stained brown or purple inside, on bare branches on previous years growth. Fruits are yellowish brown when ripe. Zones 6-10