Daphne: The most beautiful varieties, properties & toxicity

With its delicate blossom, the early-flowering daphne wakes the home garden from hibernation. But as lovely as the shrub may be, this poisonous woody plant should be planted with caution.

From early in the year, the daphne (Daphne) delights us with its fragrance and beautiful flowers. While it provides food for the bees in the garden, the poisonous Daphne should only be enjoyed from a distance. All information about the most beautiful varieties, properties and toxicity of the shrub is presented in this article.

Daphne: Origin and characteristics

The plant genus Daphne belongs to the daphne family (Thymelaeaceae). The perennial plant originates from the western regions of Asia Minor, the Caucasus and Siberia, where it is found in abundance in nature. Two species are native to Europe, including the rose daphne (Daphne cneorum), which is widespread in the southern regions, and the true daphne (Daphne mezereum). The latter is also known as February daphne or common daphne. Within its range, daphne is found mainly in deciduous and mixed deciduous forests. As their habitats of origin vary in terms of climate and soil conditions, Daphne can also be easily integrated into many of our native gardens.

Depending on the species, the daphne is an evergreen or deciduous shrub. The plant has an upright or prostrate growth habit, reaching a height of up to two metres. Its greyish or light brown coloured, woody trunk is either bare or slightly hairy and slightly branched. Its shoots are strikingly elastic, uniformly brownish and thick. Its roots are rather fleshy and species-specific somewhat sensitive, but also deep-reaching. The daphne has elongated oval leaves that are light green in colour, curl slightly and may have whitish edges. During its early flowering period from March to May, the daphne develops white, dark or light pink, funnel-shaped flowers, which then develop into intensely red, yellow or black berries between July and August. As an early bloomer, the daphne serves as a rich source of food for numerous bees, other insects and birds. With an intense fragrance, Daphnes flowers delight our senses. Some cultivars flower later in the year, into October.

Tip: Because all parts of the daphne are poisonous, it is advisable to wear gloves when planting and caring for it.

The most beautiful species and varieties: rose daphne and others

Many commercially available daphne varieties are hybrids that have been bred from different species. But you can also find domestic variants. Here we present the most beautiful daphnespecies and varieties.

• True daphne (Daphne mezereum): Daphne mezereum reaches a height of between 60 -100 cm. It produces pink-red flowers from February to April. Its grey-green, lanceolate leaves change colour in autumn. This species is also native to Europe and grows in calcareous, humus-rich soil.

• Spurge laurel (Daphne laureola): Spurge laurel grows 50 -120 cm high. It develops greenish-yellow flowers between February and May. The evergreen, leathery leaves have a dark green colour. This species is native to Europe and prefers a calcareous and humus-rich soil.

• Rose daphne (Daphne cneorum):This low-growing daphne reaches a height of between 20 and 40 cm. The species produces pink flowers from April to May. The dark green, entire-edged leaves have a leathery structure. Unlike D. mezereum rose daphne thrives well on calcareous, nutrient-poor and stony soils.

• Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Somerset’ (Daphne caucasica x Daphne cneorum): This cultivar reaches a height of 100 -150 cm. Between May and June it develops light to purplish-pink flowers. In autumn, ‘Somerset’ sheds its deep green leaves. The shrub thrives best on deep, humus-poor mineral soils.

• Daphne mezereum ‘Alba’: ‘Alba’ grows 80 -120 cm tall. In March it produces white flowers and in autumn it sheds its medium green foliage. The species prefers a humus-rich soil with a slightly alkaline pH.

• Daphne x napolitana ‘Meon’ (Daphne cneorum x Daphne sericea): ‘Meon’ grows 30 – 40 cm tall. During its long flowering period between May and September it develops pink flowers. Its green leaves remain intact even in winter. The plant prefers a neutral soil pH.

• Daphne x transatlantica ‘Pink Eternal Fragrance’ (Daphne caucasica x Daphne collina): This specimen has a medium height of growth between 60 and 100 cm. Over its late flowering period from June to October, its flower colour changes from pink to white. Its green leaves are evergreen and it thrives on nutrient-rich substrate.

Planting daphne

Flowering daphne can be planted both in pots and in beds. Depending on the species, it grows well in a shady to semi-shady, dry to fresh location, and preferably in well-drained mineral soil. Although the shrub is robust, it is advisable to place it in a sheltered spot and to avoid waterlogging and root rot. Heavy, clay-rich soils should be mixed with about 30 % gravel or sand. In addition to good drainage, a humus-rich substrate is important, which should have a neutral to high pH value. For example, our Plantura Organic Enriched Compost is suitable as soil for pot culture. This peat-free substrate with its high and long-term effective fertiliser content provides sufficient nutrients and thus supports the shrub in its root and flower development. With its neutral pH of 6.9, our substrate offers an optimal developmental basis for your daphne. Alternatively, the pH value of the soil can be increased by adding a little garden lime.
Depending on the preference of the species planted, the substrate should be loosened and drained with more or less gravel or sand, as mentioned above. To counteract waterlogging, cover the base of the pot with a layer of expanded clay or gravel.

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It is best to plant the daphne in spring, in May or during autumn, but no later than October. This should always be done at the end of the gardening season before the first frost – or at the beginning of the season in spring after the last frosts. Due to its broad growth, planting at intervals of 50 to 70 cm and only one shrub per tub is recommended. To do this, proceed as follows:

• Soak the free root ball of the shrub in a bucket of water
• Meanwhile, dig a hole in the ground that is at least 1.5 times as wide as the root ball and 60 cm deep.
• For pot culture, use a container that meets these conditions
• Remove the shrub from the water, place it in the hole and fill it with a suitable substrate – be careful with the fleshy roots.
• Then water and cover with a layer of mulch about 8 cm thick.

Caring for daphne

Depending on whether it is a pot or bedding culture, there are a few measures to take when caring for the daphne: As a rule, the adult outdoor shrub only needs a little watering, provided it rains enough. During the hot season, its soil should again be kept moist. The potted plant, which has no access to groundwater, also needs frequent attention in the form of watering throughout the year. The watering can should be used as soon as the top 2 cm of the substrate feels dry. Do not overwater and avoid waterlogging at all costs – water in the trivet should therefore be drained off as soon as possible. Freshly planted crops or young plants should be watered regularly until rooting. It is best to water in the evening and in the morning to prevent the water from evaporating when it is very hot.

With its long roots, daphne has no problem getting enough soil nutrients, so no fertiliser is needed for the shrub outdoors. Depending on the species, however, daphne in the pot should be fertilised, as the food in the pot is only in limited supply and is therefore quickly used up. It should be noted that the frugal rosemary daphne, for example, should not be fertilised, as it neither needs nor tolerates too many nutrients in the soil. Nutrient-loving species such as D. mezereum, on the other hand, benefit from fertiliser. These plants should be fertilised between March and July. Our Plantura Flower Food is ideal here. This mainly organic granular fertiliser contains enough nitrogen and phosphorus to promote lush growth and abundant flowering.

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Generally speaking, daphne does not require regular pruning. It is nevertheless advisable to prune to maintain the shape and health of the shrub. Even if the specimen only flowers to a reduced extent or not at all, rejuvenation pruning often helps. This also prevents premature bare spots. Pruning should be done immediately after flowering. A topiary may be done a second time in autumn – after the leaves have fallen. In any case, put on gloves first to protect yourself from the poison of the daphne.

For topiary:

• Cut back shoots by about a third
• Completely remove dead and diseased branches

For rejuvenation pruning:

• Cut the shrub back a little deeper every 2 -3 years
• To do this, place the pruning shears at the base of the shoot.

Tip: Do not prune into the oldest wood, as the shrub is only slightly tolerant of pruning and does not resprout well.

Is daphne hardy?

As an original mountain plant, the daphne is also hardy here. Depending on the species, it tolerates low temperatures of up to -30 °C, which is why it does not usually need frost protection in our latitudes. Nevertheless, there are species such as Daphne odora that are only considered moderately hardy. In this case, the soil around the base of the plant can be covered with brushwood as winter protection. Also be careful not to fertilise the shrub after the end of July and not too heavily, as too much or too late fertiliser would reduce its winter hardiness.

Propagation

Daphne can be propagated in various ways. Not all daphne species and varieties set seed in our latitudes – this is best done with the native daphne species. Propagating cuttings is a method for advanced growers, because the daphne is very sensitive and does not form new roots easily.

Seeds can also come from your own bush by taking them from the ripe berries and washing them off. Due to the toxicity of the plant, this should only be done with gloves. As the seeds are cold germinators, they need to be stratified before germination. For this purpose, the seeds are sown directly in the bed during the winter months so that they germinate by the coming spring. The seeds should always be kept moist until germination.
Alternatively, the seeds can be grown in small pots. For this, stratification is carried out by storing the seeds on a damp cloth in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 weeks. Then press them into small pots about 1 cm deep in a suitable growing medium and place them in a semi-shady spot at 20 to 25 ° C. The soil should always be kept moist. When about two pairs of leaves have formed, the young plant is then pricked out.

Daphne can also be propagated by cuttings. However, this is only possible with half-ripe, healthy terminal shoots, i.e. the youngest ends of the shrub. To do this, cut the cuttings in autumn between September and November and disinfect the entire cutting and the cutting soil before use. Use a hormone powder for rooting and make sure the cutting substrate is very permeable. In rather high humidity and cool 12 to 16 °C, the cuttings will root slowly. After rooting, it is important not to damage the young initial roots when repotting – so that your efforts are not in vain later.

Is daphne poisonous?

All parts of the plant are very poisonous for humans, dogs and cats. Contact with the shrub can cause severe irritation of the skin. The poison of the daphne, for example, causes redness, itching and eczema. Eating just 10 to 12 berries can be fatal, which is why children in particular must be kept away from the plant.

Those who share their garden with children, dogs or cats should think twice before planting a daphne in their bed.