Re: Daphne

In cold climates it is normal for many Daphnes to lose their leaves at about
0F and it does not hurt them at all.  Daphne White-edge is much more
vigorous and reliable then Carol Mackie.  Many plants sold as Carol Mackie
are actually White-edge.  White-edge is more upright and has thicker stem.
The variegation is more of a gold color than Carol Mackie.  It is almost a
necessity to get small plants.  They are like Oak trees in that larger ones
have had their taproot severed.  That is why the large D. cnerum plants die
so easily.  The are field grown and are harvested with a root chopper
machine.  The two problems you will have are snow and drying out.  Unlike
most shrubs they are not capable of dying back.  If they get dry enough to
do any damage at all they are dead!  Snow pileup can break limbs and split
the truck which can kill it. The cold is ok.  If you have a shadier area
then you want genkwa or giraldii.  To avoid the snow problem I recommend
Lawrence Crocker.  He is a picture of my plant.
http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vines/9701/daphne_crocker.html   Totally
hardy and evergreen in zone 5 or more.  If you don't get a lot of blooms it
is because at the end of winter and early spring they get too dry.  You
know, the time in March when it is dry and windy when you try to till the
garden and you don't think about watering anything yet.  Actually most of
the tiny rock garden types that are hard to find are easier than the larger
ones.  Cneorum is one of the more difficult ones in the Midwest.  I am able
to grow 25 varieties in my climate, so far.
.
Frank Cooper
Urbana, Illinois  USA  Zone 5b
Record low temp -27 F (-32.8 C)
Record high temp 105 F (40 C)

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