- Chinese Winter Flower: Origin and Properties
- The most beautiful varieties
- Plant Chimonanthus praecox
- Chinese winter blossom: The most important care measures
- Wintering
- Reproduction
- Is Chinese wintersweet poisonous?
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If the Chinese winter blossom feels comfortable in its location, it will sometimes bloom in bright yellow as early as December and smell pleasantly sweet of vanilla.
Even if the Chinese winter blossom (Chimonanthus praecox) is still relatively unknown to us, it is definitely worth growing. The easy-care shrub not only delights us with its fragrant flowers in winter, but is also pollinated by insects, which is why Chimonanthus praecox is valuable for bees. In this article we therefore explain everything you need to know about the cultivation, location and care of Chimonanthus praecox . You will also learn whether the Chinese winter blossom is poisonous.
Chinese Winter Flower: Origin and Properties
Originally, as you can already guess, the Chinese winter blossom comes from China, where it grows at altitudes of up to 3000 m. It has also been cultivated in Europe for several hundred years. The Chinese winter blossom is a perennial, almost hardy shrub that reaches heights of 250 to 300 cm and tolerates temperatures down to -17 °C. It grows multi-stemmed, bushy and fan-shaped and can therefore take up a lot of space. Foliage is green in summer, turning yellow in fall and shed just before flowering begins.
The special feature of this plant is reflected both in the German name and in the scientific name. This derives from the ancient Greek: "Cheimon" stands for winter and "anthos" for bloom. The species name "praecox" refers to the very early flowering. Even if Chimonanthus praecox flowers in winter, the shrub is pollinated by insects, because on warmer days they fly and crawl and are happy about any food. Therefore, Chimonanthus praecox is an important bee-friendly shrub. The flowers usually appear around December, are about 2.5 cm in size, are yellow and have a pleasant, sweet fragrance. The long flowering period, which can extend into March, is also outstanding. As with many others inThis is a protective mechanism for winter-flowering plants, because frosts can repeatedly cause the flowers to freeze to death. After the flowers have faded, fruit capsules appear in spring, containing seeds that are up to 1.5 cm long and shaped like coffee beans. However, these only fully mature in warm years.
Tip: If you grow the Chinese winter blossom from seeds yourself or if you buy very young plants, you usually have to be patient before you can admire the blossom for the first time. After sowing, it usually takes five to eight years for the shrub to flower for the first time.
The most beautiful varieties
The entire Calycanthaceae family consists of only about ten species. This includes the small number of varieties of Chinese winter blossom. Nevertheless, we would like to introduce you to two of them that you can also find in Germany in garden stores.
- Chimonanthus praecox 'Grandiflorus': As the name suggests, this variety is characterized by particularly large flowers. However, in terms of growth and hardiness, Chimonanthus praecox 'Grandiflorus' is comparable to the wild form Chimonanthus praecox.
- Chimonanthus praecox 'Luteus': This variety also only differs from the wild species by the flowers, because they are atChimonanthus praecox 'Luteus' is a particularly intense yellow.
Plant Chimonanthus praecox
A suitable location for Chimonanthus praecox is at best in a sunny, sheltered position. It should be characterized by a deep, permeable and nutrient-rich soil. Plants are surprisingly tolerant and adaptable in terms of pH, but prefer neutral to chalky soils. If you have purchased young plants, they can be planted in their final location from spring to autumn, with spring being the best time to plant. This gives the young bushes enough time to take root before the next winter.
With the following instructions, you can easily plant Chimonanthus praecox in your own garden:
- Choose a sunny, sheltered spot.
- Dig a planting hole at least twice the size of the root ball.
- Now you canAlso take soil-improving measures: In the case of very clayey soils that tend to waterlogging, 30% expanded clay or sand such as our Plantura lawn sand should be added to loosen it. Since the winter blossom is a heavy feeder, some compost or a pre-fertilized soil such as our Plantura organic universal soil also improves the growth of the young plant.
- Now the winter blossom can be placed in the ground. The surface of the earth ball should be at the level of the subsoil.
- The planting hole is filled with a mixture of soil, potting soil and possibly sand until the ball of soil is lightly covered with soil. Then everything will be well trampled.
- Now the bush should be well watered. A casting ring made of soil can be modeled to ensure a continuous supply of water to the shrub during the growth phase. For this, a small, ring-shaped mound of earth is piled up around the bush and pounded down.
Tip: Growing in a bucket is also possible. In the beginning, the pot should have a diameter and a depth of about 40 cm for a plant about 20 to 30 cm high. However, the bucket must grow with the plant and be enlarged regularly. Our Plantura organic universal soil, for example, is suitable as a plant substrate. It is already pre-fertilized and thus ensures an optimal supply of the young winter flowering plants in the beginning. Since it is also peat-free, its production emits almost 60% less CO2 compared to conventional potting soil.
Chinese winter blossom: The most important care measures
Water correctly
The Chinese winter blossom tolerates drought from time to time, but feels much better in fresh to moist substrates. On the other hand, waterlogging is not tolerated at all. This should be used as a guide when caring for Chimonanthus praecox and especially young plants should be watered seldom and vigorously during longer periods of drought.
Fertilize Chinese Wintersweet
Fertilizing is part of the regular care of the Chinese winter blossom, especially in late spring and summer. For this purpose, our Plantura organic universal fertilizer or mature compost can be worked into the soil around the plant in spring at the start of growth and a second time in summer. In addition to a nutrient composition that is optimal for many plants, our universal fertilizer is also 100%animal-free and has a very high proportion of organic components that support he althy soil life.
Pruning
For many, the Chinese winter blossom becomes too big and sprawling over time and you ask yourself how and when it is best to prune it. Chimonanthus praecox flowers on two year old wood. Since the buds for the next bloom are created in the previous year, the winter bloom should also be cut in the spring, i.e. immediately after the end of the blooming period. For more branching or for shortening, you can also shorten individual shoots more. If the shrub is generally too dense and large for you, you can also remove parts entirely. The winter blooms also often form flowers on the perennial wood inside the bush, so that heavy pruning for rejuvenation is not necessary.
Wintering
In the first few winters, the plants should still be protected from frost. To do this, use a warming mulch layer made of pine bark, straw or leaves. Older plants are somewhat more winter hardy, but even they only tolerate temperatures of -15 to -17 °C. Potted plants are more endangered and should therefore be protected every year and wrapped in garden fleece, for example.
Reproduction
Propagation of Chimonanthus praecox can be done using seeds, layering or cuttings, with the method using layering being the easiest and most promising. For this purpose, a shoot close to the ground is gently bent in spring until it touches the ground. It's okay if the bark tears open on the underside where the sinker touches the ground. This even stimulates root formation at this point. The sinker is fixed to the ground with a stone, herring or peg. Then some leaves are removed in the middle area and this part is covered with soil. In the following summer and autumn you should make sure to keep the sinker always well moist. Once the first roots have formed, the new plant can perhaps be separated from the mother plant and potted in autumn. By the following spring at the latest, it should be possible to move them to a new location.
Is Chinese wintersweet poisonous?
Chinese wintersweet is poisonous. The leaves of Chimonanthus praecox contain toxic alkaloids, including calycanthine, which is why they should never be eaten. Also in theThis alkaloid was found in seeds, which is why the fruits of Chimonanthus praecox are also inedible. Also be careful with pets, because calycanthin can lead to severe poisoning in them. Despite its toxicity, Chinese wintersweet has a long history of use in Chinese folk medicine, and its flowers are used to extract flavors for fragrances.
If you are looking for other plants that will banish winter melancholy with their colorful flowers, continue browsing through our overview of the loveliest winter bloomers.