Chimonanthus, magnificent winter flowers

Chimonanthus, commonly called wintersweet, is one of the most beautiful shrubs to bloom in winter.

Core Chimonanthus facts

Name – Chimonanthus praecox
Family – Calycanthaceae
Type – shrub

Height – 10 to 16 feet (3 to 5 meters)
Exposure – full sun
Soil – ordinary

Foliage – deciduous or evergreen
Flowering – January to March

Planting, pruning and care are all good practices to increase the growth of your Chimonanthus.

Planting Chimonanthus

It’s all the same whether Chimonanthus is planted in spring or fall.

• It is indifferent to the type of soil.
• Best identify a spot that is in light sun without any scorching heat to produce the most abundant blooming.
• Follow our advice on planting shrubs.

Pruning and caring for Chimonanthus

No pruning is formally required, all the more so because chimonanthus flowers on stems grown during the previous year.

• Remove dead wood and broken branches as you notice them.

If you wish to reshape or reduce live branches somewhat, then wait for blooming to be over.

The growing of Chimonanthus is easy and it will relish being planted in light shade.

Learn more about chimonanthus

This shrub, pronounced “KEE-moh-NAN-tus” will offer you a magnificent blooming as early as January. It will last until fair days arrive.

Both fragrant and luminous, its flowers will appeal to you and bring you joy, a far cry from the winter cold.

Chimonanthus is a very ornamental shrub, very much appreciated for its winter blooming and delicate fragrance.

It only requires little care, at most simply a bit of water in case of high temperatures.

Known varieties of chimonanthus

The most common variety found in gardens is Chimonanthus praecox, which looses its leaves in winter.

The following boast evergreen leafage: Chimonanthus campanulatus, Chimonanthus grammatus, Chimonanthus nitens.

Read also

• The most beautiful winter-blooming shrubs

Credits for images shared to Nature & Garden (all edits by Gaspard Lorthiois):
Chimonanthus with blue sky by Ajari under © CC BY 2.0
Chimonanthus by the thousands by Ajari under © CC BY 2.0
Single Chimonanthus flower by TANAKA Juuyoh 田中十洋 under © CC BY 2.0