This is a shrub that stopped me in my tracks when I first remember seeing it. About twenty years ago in Kew Gardens on a half term visit in February, I was sniffing the air to find the source of a wonderful perfume. Having spotted some unusual golden blooms, I then searched out the label for the plant. Edgeworthia chrysantha – the ‘Paper Bush’. I hadn’t seen anything like it before and I still think it’s pretty unique in form and structure.

A native to woodlands in the Himalayas and China, this gorgeous plant is closely related to Daphnes. Its flowers appear in clusters on the tips of bare stems and its strong scent helps attract the toughest, winter insects. Edgeworthia foliage is rich green with large tropical-effect leaves and the stems are an attractive reddish brown. The bark has a parchment-like texture. In Asia, it is used to produce paper, hence its common name ‘Paper Bush’.

A great plant for the winter garden, they rarely succumb to pests and diseases, but need a sheltered spot. They can tolerate temperatures down to -5C, but in colder areas it is best to plant them against a sunny, south facing wall. It will form an attractive, rounded umbrella shape and grow to about 1.5 metres high and wide. 

Edgeworthia chrysantha at The Parsonage Gardens, Didsbury. 16 March 2021