Practical
Plants

Chimonanthus praecox

Winter Sweet

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
3 m
Spread
3 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

Flowers - thoroughly boiled and then washed[7]. Eaten with oil and salt[5][9]. The flower petals are used to flavour and scent tea[9].

Plant part
Flowers

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The flowers are sialagogue[6][13].

Product or use
Sialagogue

Material uses

The flowers are very fragrant, they are used in pot-pourri and to make perfumes[1][16][17]. The wood, after soaking in water, polishes to a brilliant black finish[6].

Product or use
Essential
Product or use
Wood

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China.
Habitat
Cliffs in glens and gorges of Ichang province, 30 - 3000 metres[2]. Also found in Sichuan, Hubei and Chekiang.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[18][11]. Pre-soak stored seed in tepid water for two hours, keep warm and moist for 3 days then chill for 5 - 8 weeks and sow in a cold frame[4]. Germination is usually good, though it is often slow and erratic, and takes place in 2 months or more at 13°c[18][4]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Extremely difficult to root[3]. Layering in spring[11] or in July/August[18]. Takes 9 months[18]. Fair to good percentage[18].

Cultivation

Requires a good soil in a sunny sheltered position[4][11]. Badly drained or compacted soils may cause blotching or yellowing of the leaves[11]. Succeeds in most soils but it seems most at home on chalky ones[14]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is hardy to about -25°c[10]. It is best grown on a sunny wall, however, in order to protect the flowers and induce heavier flowering[3]. The flowers are very fragrant[8], but the plant can be very sparse flowering after cool summers[10]. Plants have a moderate rate of growth[12]. Plants take 5 - 12 years to flower from seed[8][11]. The var. 'Grandiflorus' comes true from seed and has larger flowers than the type[18]. Plants flower profusely when established and left unpruned[14], if any pruning is necessary then it is best done immediately after flowering[10][14]. The flowers are produced on the leaf axils of wood 3 - 4 years old[12]. The flowers emit a powerful sweet fragrance which can be smelt 50 yards away. The smell is like jonquil and violets[15]. When the fragrance is inhaled close to for any length of time the smell seems to disappear[15]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[11].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.

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  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  6. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩1↩2

  7. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

    ↩

  8. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩1↩2

  9. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  10. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30258-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  11. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  12. Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-670-82929-3

    ↩1↩2

  13. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩

  14. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩1↩2↩3

  15. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩1↩2

  16. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  17. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  18. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

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