Eternal Fragrance Daphne Plant

The Eternal Fragrance Daphne (Daphne × transatlantica ‘Eternal Fragrance’), a charming evergreen shrub, is planted in numerous gardens all over the world. Its beautiful appearance, as well as its great fragrance, makes it a popular choice as a garden plant. The shrub has elegant white-pink flowers and green leaves, making it an enchanting addition to any garden and providing an almost year-round visual delight and smell. In this article, we are going to share with you some information about the characteristics and need for care of the Eternal Fragrance Daphne. Hopefully, this will provide you with enough knowledge to grow this beautiful shrub in your garden.

The Allure of the Eternal Fragrance Daphne

A cross between Daphne x transatlantica and Daphne mezereum, it’s an early bloomer that holds its fragrance into spring, unlike most of the foamflower cinerarias – theforeacharmangleflowers – that it’s been crossed with. Eternal Fragrance Daphne is also, unlike most of that larger group, surprisingly hardy. Some plants grow so like their parents and grandparents that it can be hard to tell them apart. While many of its parents and grandparents have a brief flowering streak each year, and are temperamental, Holly’s daphne is much more likely to have a long season, from the invasion of bloom in late winter to the late flush of summer, and to rebloom year round.

Appearance and Growth Habit

Eternal Fragr an upright, evergreen, compact shrub reaching 2 to 3 ft (60 to 90 cm) in height and 3 to 4 ft (90 to 120 cm) in width. Because it retains its dense, rounded growth habit, it does well in smaller gardens, containers or as a low hedge.

In bright, glossy dark green leaves, this compact shrub has large, dense clusters of tiny five-pointed nodding flowers, with cream-white petals and a pink flush during budbreak, opening to court the springtime sun and breeze. Eternal Fragrance Daphne gives off a sweet citrus-like scent, its aromatic perfume is so potent that it wafts for a hundred feet all around the plant, especially in the evening – which is one of the primary reasons why Eternal Fragrance Daphne is coveted by gardeners.

Blooming Period

A hugely valuable characteristic of the Eternal Fragrance Daphne is its long flowering period. Most flowering shrubs can enjoy several weeks of blooming, but once the flowers on each inflorescence fade, that’s it for the year. The Eternal Fragrance Daphne, on the other hand, can bloom almost continually from April until October, and even occasionally in between those months in warmer weather in the winter. This means it is far more attractive as a plant for the home with a garden that has flowers throughout the seasons.

Ideal Growing Conditions for Eternal Fragrance Daphne

As with most plants, you will derive the best reward from the Eternal Fragrance Daphne if you have a grip on what it needs to flourish. On the robust side of the spectrum, this is a tough little lady, but there are ways to make it really sing its arms.

Sunlight Requirements

An Eternal Fragrance Daphne will perform best when situated to receive full sun to partial or filtered sun. It is ideal for the plant to be located in an area that receives morning sun and afternoon shade, in the hotter regions. If exposed to direct sunshine during the hottest portion of the day, the leaves will scorch and may negatively impact the plant’s overall health. In a cooler clime, however, this shrub can tolerate more full sun and will actually perform best when planted in a full sun position.

Soil Preferences

Planted in full sun or with half-day sun, this cultivar thrives in moderately moist, slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0, amended with organic matter for good moisture retention and drainage. Do not plant in heavy clay soils or poorly drained areas as Daphne’s roots can readily rot in these conditions.

If the soil in your garden isn’t of high quality, you might want to amend it with a fresh addition of organic compost; otherwise, you might want to plant it in a raised bed or container that you can fill with soil of your own choosing, ensuring that the roots of the plant can access the right constitution of soil. Finally, mulching around the area of the plant will help to hold moisture in the soil as well as to mitigate the effects of temperature changes to the soil, which will both benefit the health of the plant overall.

Watering Needs

Eternal Fragrance Daphne needs moderate water. It needs consistently moist soil, but will not tolerate long periods of waterlogging, so during the growing season it needs regular watering, especially in warm, dry spells, but be careful not to let it dry out.

Generally speaking, let the soil surface dry somewhat between waterings. Water little and often, deeply; in doing so, you enhance the plant’s drought tolerance by encouraging the roots to send searching tentacles further down into the soil. Water less often in winter as the plant’s growth slows.

Temperature and Hardiness

The plant (D. pontica ‘Eternal Fragrance’) is quite hardy, withstanding temperatures of -10°F (-23°C) in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 9. Further north, it needs some protection from cold winter winds and unusually low temperatures, maybe some mulch or a frost-weave cover.

However, in summers that are dry and hot, this Daphne species may have a difficult time dealing with prolonged, intense heat. Providing afternoon shade and keeping the soil cool and moist will help the plant to thrive in summer conditions such as these.

Planting and Maintenance Tips

Planting and caring for an Eternal Fragrance Daphne is not very difficult if you keep the tips in this section in mind.

Planting

When planting, choose a spot with good drainage and full sun, as described above. It is best to plant in the spring or fall, when temperatures are mild and the plants have more time to get established before the heat of summer or the chill of winter.

Dig a hole twice the diameter and a little bit deeper than the length and width of the root ball. Very gently take the plant from the container and put it in the hole so the top of the root ball is the same as the soil around it. Fill the hole with native soil mixed with compost and firm the soil around the roots, being gentle so as not to damage any roots. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil and dislodge any air pockets.

Pruning

Pruning Eternal Fragrance Daphne is not normally needed as the plants have a naturally compact tidy habit. Light pruning can be carried out to remove dead and damaged stems and to tidy the plant up. Any pruning should be done straight after the flowering period, which tends to be in late spring or early summer.

Don’t prune hard because you’ll decrease its flower count. Instead, remove only what’s necessary to keep your plant healthy and looking good.

Fertilizing

Eternal Fragrance Daphne does not need to be fed heavily but a light dressing of general-purpose, slow-release fertiliser in the spring will encourage healthy growth and good flower production. Overfertilisation should be avoided as this encourages lush foliage at the expense of flowers.

Instead, for a steady supply of nutrients over the growing season, make sure to top-dress backyard soils with organic compost or well-rotted manure in spring.

Pests and Diseases

Although Eternal Fragrance Daphne is resistant to most other pests and diseases, it can develop root rot with poor drainage and/or overwatering. The best solution is to choose a location with good drainage, and avoid overwatering.

Aphids, spider mites and scale insects might also be possible problems if the plant is stressed. Check it often for signs and treat accordingly with insecticidal soap or neem oil.