Meet the Paperbush
Paperbush | Edgeworthia chrysantha
How do you know it’s me?:
I am a medium-large woody shrub.
My flowers are creamy white, with yellow at the center. They are tube-shaped, clustered together in 1”-2” wide blooms that droop off my bare branches. They are covered in a fine fuzz.
Before opening, my blooms hang in silvery drupes from bare stems.
My blooms are very fragrant.
My leaves emerge in spring, after I have bloomed.
I have long, leathery leaves with a pointed oval shape. They have grey-green undersides.
I have smooth, spotted, light brown bark. Near the tips of my stems, the bark can be a more copper-brown in color.
How big do I grow?: 4’ - 6' height and spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Part Shade.
Where I prefer to put my roots: I prefer, rich, moist soil.
Hardiness: Zone 7-10.
Original home: I am native to China and the Himalayas.
Colors: My dangling flowers are yellow and white. I sometimes have a brief period of yellow fall color.
When I bloom: Winter.
Wildlife friends: Bees are attracted to my blooms, which provide a source of nectar for early pollinators.
Flora Fun Facts: The name “Paperbush” comes from the use of my inner bark to produce high-quality paper. In Japan, the paper has been used to make banknotes.
More Info: In winter, Paperbush lights up with cheerful, dangling yellow blooms while most of the rest of the garden lies dormant.
A member of the Daphne family (Thymelaeaceae).
Each bloom is very fragrant, with a scent resembling Gardenia.
There are also red-flowered varieties of this shrub, but they are much less common.
Prefers afternoon shade, especially in hot climates.
This shrub spreads below ground through rhizomes, which can allow it to form a slowly expanding thicket.
A great selection for a border planting, woodland garden, or focal feature.
A fairly low-maintenance plant once established, Paperbush does not require pruning, dead-heading, or fertilizing aside from the occasional addition of mulch or organic material to its surrounding soil.
