EDGEWORTHIA chrysantha

Description:Common name: Paper Bush, Yellow Daphne. A wonderful deciduous shrub with fragrant yellow flower clusters which open in late winter and last till mid spring. The flowers are borne at the ends of the branches on the previous year?s growth and appear before the new leaves

Uses: A beautiful shrub in full bloom, giving a long-lasting display. This plant is ideal for a woodland area or a shady spot in the garden

Climate/Position: Prefers partial shade

Height/Spread: 1.5m with a suckering habit

Soil Requirements: Well drained, humus-rich soil. Water freely when in growth, water sparingly in winter

Pruning: Remove crossing shoots to maintain a healthy framework in late winter or spring

Special Requirements: Water if the soil dries out. Mulch regularly to retain moisture. It is best planted in a deeply worked organically enriched soil

Additional Interest: Named after M P Edgeworth, a botanist with the East India Company in the 19th century. Cultivated in Japan for the long white fibres used in the manufacture of thin but very strong paper which is often used for the printing of currency. This shrub species is related to the Daphne family of shrubs which have similar and scented flowers