Chimonanthus, the winter flower that will give color to your garden

Chimonanthus, a wonderful shrub with a unique aroma that gives us beautiful yellow flowers in the heart of winter. Chimonanthus became famous in our country from the song of the same name, to the extent that many do not know that it is an existing plant.

It is a deciduous ornamental shrub with rich flowering that is rightly one of the most beautiful flowers of winter, giving us intense color and wonderful aroma. Originally from China, Chimonanthus is a very popular plant in Europe, it shows relatively slow growth and can reach a height of 2-3 meters. It blooms in the frost and snow, forming its fragrant flowers from late December to early March, before the lanceolate leaves of light green color develop.

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The flowers of Chimonanthus look like a small star, 2-3 cm in diameter, pale yellow or yellow, with a red heart in the center, while their aroma is associated with the winter season. The Grandiflorus variety is very common, displaying large flowers with a deep yellow color, although it is less fragrant.

1. Under what conditions does the winter flower grow?

Chimonanthus is very resistant to cold and frost, even at temperatures of many degrees below zero. It prefers fertile soils with good drainage and we prefer to plant it in sunny locations. The ideal planting season for Chimonanthus is spring and autumn.

Chimonanthus can be planted and adapted to any soil, even calcareous, as long as it has good drainage. It is difficult to plant in a pot on the balcony, as its root system cannot grow well. So we plant it in the ground, individually or in clusters, in yards, gardens and parks. It should be noted that the Chimonanthus is very resistant to disease and is not particularly affected by insects.

2. How often does the Chimonanthus need watering and fertilizing?

Chimonanthus does not need much water to thrive. Water once a week during spring and autumn. However, during the summer months it needs relatively frequent watering at least twice a week to have good vegetative growth and to give us rich flowering in winter.

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Chimonanthus have a lot of nutrients and therefore need proper fertilization. In early spring, we add complete granular fertilizer to have good vegetative growth and in addition, in autumn, we add a granular fertilizer, reduced in nitrogen (ammonia) and rich in phosphorus and potassium, to enhance its flowering.

3. What insects and diseases infect the winter flower?

Chimonanthus is quite a hardy plant and is not particularly affected by diseases and insects. As a precaution, we can spray with a solution of summer pulp and soaps of fatty acids to treat the insect of the meligra and the blackfly that infest the foliage of the Chimonanthus.

4. What season do we prune and how does the Chimonanthus bloom?

Chimonanthus does not need pruning for the first 1-2 years, when it is still a small plant and has not taken root and developed sufficiently. Pruning the Chimonanthus would have the effect of delaying its entry into flowering. When the winter flower grows, a suitable pruning season is in early spring after the end of its flowering. Particular attention should be paid to pruning that should not be strict, as the Chimonanthus blooms on two-year-old wood. When pruning the Chimonanthus, we remove dry and weak branches, while it is necessary to leave older shoots to ensure the flowering of the next year.

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5. How do we create new Chimonanthus plants?

Chimonanthus is propagated by seeds and cuttings. If we plant winter flower seeds, it will take 10 years for the plant to grow and give us its flowering. Propagation by cuttings is done during the summer by cutting semi-woody shoots of 15 cm that we plant in nursery pots with fluffy topsoil. It is important to lay the groundwork for rooting hormone cuttings to increase the chances of successful propagation. It should be noted that it will take about 1-2 years for the Chimonanthus plant to take root and give a new plant.

And a secret for Chimonanthus

We cut the beautiful flowering branches of the Chimonanthus during the holidays, to put them in the vase and to decorate our living room. The flowering and the aroma of the Chimonanthus will last for several days and will give a wonderful decorative touch to our house.