(Alexandrian Laurel, Poet's Laurel)

Admired for its compact habit and glossy foliage, poet's laurel is a tough evergreen shrub from western Asia that offers foliar beauty year round. It is a shade lover that's notoriously slow growing and somewhat frost tender. Specimens are reliably hardy to USDA hardiness zone 8 but can withstand cold temperatures in zone 7 with protection. Small yellow flowers are offered in summer and ornamental red fruits are produced in fall and look great into winter.

The elegant "leaves" of this evergreen...

(Spring Herald Daphne)

British nurseryman Robin White crossed Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ with Daphne acutiloba ‘Fragrant Cloud’ to create the pretty shrub 'Spring Herald'. This hybrid daphne has a bushy, upright but slightly rounded habit. Over a long period from midwinter to late spring, clove-scented flowers grace the branch tips. It's semi-deciduous, although retains more foliage in mild winter regions.

The lance-shaped deep green leaves are satin-glossy and leathery in texture. Winter...

(Himalayan Daphne, Paper Daphne)

In the eastern Himalayas, this daphne's bark was used to make paper. To the modern gardener, the Himalayan daphne supplies a larger, upright-growing silhouette in the garden and fragrant white flowers. Native to the mid-elevations of the eastern Himalayas in Nepal and western China, this shrub is evergreen or deciduous in winter, depending on climate. The branching habit is open and airy.

The leaves are lance-shaped and satin-glossy dark green. Each blade is leathery in texture. In midwinter...

(Himalayan Daphne, Jacqueline Postill Daphne)

In its native eastern Himalayas, people used this species's bark to make paper. To the modern gardener, the Jacqueline Postill daphne supplies an upright-growing silhouette in the garden and very fragrant violet-pink and white flowers. Native to the mid-elevations of the eastern Himalayas in Nepal and western China, this shrub is usually evergreen or nearly so. The branching habit is open and airy. This cultivar was selected as a seedling by Alan Postill of Hillier Nurseries in the United Kingdom...

(Himalayan Daphne, Peter Smithers Daphne)

In its native eastern Himalayas, people used this species's bark to make paper. To the modern gardener, the Peter Smithers daphne supplies a medium-sized, upright-growing silhouette in the garden and abundant, very fragrant violet-purple and lavender-white flowers. Native to the mid-elevations of the eastern Himalayas in Nepal and western China, this shrub is evergreen to partially deciduous, depending on winter cold. The branching habit is open and airy. This cultivar was selected by Sir Peter Smithers...

(Icy Himalayan Daphne)

In the eastern Himalayas, this daphne's bark was used to make paper. To the modern gardener, the icy Himalayan daphne is a more cold-hardy, variably deciduous daphne with fragrant white to pink blossoms. Native to the mid-elevations of the eastern Himalayas in Nepal and western China, variety glacialis is found at higher elevations in the mountain forests compared to the parent species. The icy Himalayan daphne develops a shorter size with spreading to creeping branches with an open habit....

(Gurkha Daphne, Icy Himalayan Daphne)

In the eastern Himalayas, this daphne's bark was used to make paper. To the modern gardener, the Gurkha icy Himalayan daphne is a more cold-hardy, deciduous daphne with fragrant white and pink blossoms. This selection always loses its foliage in winter to better display its flowers. It was selected from a group of plants taken from eastern Nepal in 1962. The icy Himalayan daphne develops a upright shape but with some spreading to creeping branches with an open habit.

The leaves are lance-shaped...

(Caucasian Daphne)

The Caucasian daphne bears white flowers over a longer blooming period than other daphne shrubs commonly grown in temperate gardens. Native to Caucasus in western Asia, this deciduous shrub attains a dense, rounded habit. It shows no fall color before the foliage drops off.

The rather small, elongated oval leaves are a medium green, with a slight hint of blue-green. On branch tips, clusters of four to 20 tiny white, four-petaled flowers occur most profusely in late spring. Continued light flowering...

(February Daphne)

While the name February daphne assumes a timely flowering display in midwinter, don't be alarmed if blossoms are delayed until spring in cold-climate regions. This deciduous daphne bears rosy to violet-lilac flowers much earlier compared to most other daphne shrubs commonly grown in temperate gardens. Native to Europe eastward into Siberia, the February daphne develops an upright oval silhouette with many open, rather leggy branches. It's not as dense or perfectly shaped as other daphne species.

The...

(February Daphne)

While the name white-flowering February daphne assumes a timely flowering display in midwinter, don't be surprised if the blossoms are delay until spring in cold-winter regions. This deciduous daphne bears ivory flowers much earlier compared to most other daphne shrubs commonly grown in temperate gardens. Native to Europe eastward into Siberia, the February daphne develops an upright oval silhouette with many open, rather leggy branches. Selection 'Alba' grows more vigorously than the pink-flowering...