Fragrant Wintersweet. This is one of the more intriguing winter-flowering shrubs for the South. For us, it starts flowering around Christmas and continues through January. The fragrance is intoxicating, and for most, it is the principal reason for growing this species. These plants that we offer are seed grown and don't have quite the intensity of color that some grafted named clones have, and our seedlings are from an old plant in North Augusta which peaked every year on Christmas Day. This plant is most likely from the old Fruitland Nurseries, the present site of the Augusta National Gold Club, just across the Savannah River. This plant was actually the largest plant of this species that I have ever witnessed around here, and it was growing on the site of the Hampton Terrace Hotel (in its day it was noted as the largest wooden structure in the world which burned in 1919). The flowers on this plant were the best that I have seen on a non-grafted plant and are a soft medium yellow with with some having purple striping in the flower. This species can reach up to 16-20' at maturity. But it can be easily kept at 6-10'. It is best grown in filtered sun here or morning sun and afternoon shade. If sited in too much shade, one will experience fewer flowers. It is always fascinating to me that it is in the family Calycanthaceae, the family or another plant which is principally grown for its intoxicating fragrance, Carolina Allspice, or Sweetshrub. The seed pods and seed look practically identical. The last picture is from Mikinori Ogisu's book, MY WORLD OF PLANTS, showing some of the named cultivars of this species found in China.
Zones 6-9
