Daphne odora ‘Zuiko Nishiki’

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I picked one of these up to try as a house plant in the winter and as an outdoor plant in the summer. If it dies, it's no loss, but of course I don't buy stuff with the intent to kill it.

Does anyone have one of these in their garden, I understand that they might be popular in the Pacific Northwest.

Any suggestions for potting, upkeep, etc, welcomed.

(I did read one link suggesting that they didn't like to be re-potted... this, is my main focus right at the moment. I want to plant it in a terra cotta pot, but I don't really want to set it back.)
 
Put this in a terra cotta pot (Nov 9th) with 50% cat litter and 50% gravel the same size... to do it again, I would add just a little coconut fibre. (5%)

It transplanted without being set back at all, and looks as though it will bloom soonish.

I found the origonal soil to be heavy and water logged, so I took a chance and bare-rooted it during re-potting, being very careful with the roots. It transplanted without any negative result.
 
I'm not familiar with that cultivar but regular Winter Daphne is finicky in my area, they definitely don't like wet feet so it's probably good you got it out of that soil. I'm not sure where you live, but they don't like central VA full sun. Daphne cneorum, transatlantica, and burkwoodii seem to perform better in my area. But they smell great, good luck!
 
cbroad said:
I'm not familiar with that cultivar but regular Winter Daphne is finicky in my area, they definitely don't like wet feet so it's probably good you got it out of that soil. I'm not sure where you live, but they don't like central VA full sun. Daphne cneorum, transatlantica, and burkwoodii seem to perform better in my area. But they smell great, good luck!
Click to expand...

I live in zone 3, so for most of the year it will be indoors. I only started this thread because there isn't much information on the internet about them and the re-potting information is almost non-existent. They would never become a bonsai, even thought they are a woody plant because they are "senescence" (only live for 8-10 years) and sport large leaves, but I need something around here for some winter distraction... I thought it might be a good plant for a lot of the bonsai ppl who like flowering plants.

I wonder if I should be cutting back on the artificial light that I've been giving it... it appears very healthy, and sits on a rack against a north facing window.
 
If you could find it, I bet Rock Daphne (cneorum) could be trained, they have small leaves and grow low and spread. I hadn't heard they're not long lived but that doesn't surprise me since I've seen how they do in my area. I work at a nursery and we get a lot of different Daphne (I'm pretty sure they come from Oregon) and it pisses me off because they come in literally potted in heavy clay, they'll never stand a chance like that... And, they retail for about $50 for a 2 gallon which is ridiculous...o_O
 
If your Daphne fails, as an indoor plant, with sweet smelling flowers, for the great white north, I recommend Osmanthus fragrans 'Fudingzhu' Sweet Autumn Olive. Flowers are tiny, but one pot of it will perfume a whole room. I have not bothered to ''bonsai'' mine, Its leaves are large and leathery, and just from hacking back my houseplant, they don't seem to reduce well. They get by in fairly deep shade, so they don't need ''prime territory'' in the windowsill with the ''good stuff''. I summer mine outdoors, in the shade. The cultivar 'Fudingzhu' is worth seeking out as it seems to always be in bloom. Other Osmanthus tend to be sharply seasonal with their flowers.
 
Wonder what ever came of this experiment with the Daphne?
I have a spot in my heart for them and have been thinking about playing around with one.
Knowing that they are short lived saddens me, both for their bonsai furture, but also because I now assume that the one I planted at the first home I ever owned is surely long gone now.

Maybe that is all the more reason to enjoy a fun project if even just for a decade.
 
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