Daphne 2011

[David Nicholson]

Some readers may remember my previous posts about my Daphne bholua "Jacqueline Postill" which I bought, I think, in 2008 and took ages to begin to look as though it was going to succeed in my garden.

Below is a pic I posted in January 2009 when Michael Campbell told me not to worry and to feed it around April time each year. The second pic shows it again in July 2009. The third pic shows the same plant today but so far, although it has grown well, it didn't flower in 2009 or 2010. So I have added a pic of a bud because I don't know if this is a flower bud or another leaf bud. Perhaps the experts could advise please.

[Hoy]

I had Jacqueline Postill for several years and it flowered from the second year, very early in the spring. If I remember right the flower buds were showing at this time of the year but I lost my plant last winter when the soil where it stood froze a foot deep. The leaves and the stems survived the cold but not the roots.

[majallison]

David, that looks like a flower bud. 'Jacqueline Postill' plants are largely from micropropagation & I have heard that these tend to be shy-flowering compared with plants propagated by grafting (or cuttings ~ v. tricky with Daphne bholua).  I have a seed-raised bholua which has largely been killed by the recent frost & snow, temperatures down to -12 degrees C here.

[David Nicholson]

Malcolm, thanks for that, I do hope it is a flower bud. I haven't noticed any graft mark on my plant so it could well be a microprop. It has coped very well with the last two winters (lowest -8C) and in one of the windiest parts of the garden too just a couple of leaves have looked sickly and I removed those.

Thanks also to Trond.

[Martin Baxendale]

David, the flower buds on all my Daphne bholuas are well advanced and very obvious, already bursting and showing colour, and even a few flowers out. It looks to me like you won't be getting flowers this year. Maybe a little potash or a high-potash feed like phostrogen might help.

[Brian Ellis]

David mine was a similar size last year and had one flower on it.  This year it is smothered so be patient and, as Martin said, give it a treat.

[David Nicholson]

Thanks Martin and Brian. I take it you both think the buds on mine are leaf and not flower bulbs? I've fed it with Tomorite for the last two years but I will be more patient.

[Martin Baxendale]

No, I wouldn't have said they were flower buds. They all seem to be at branch tips and look more like leaf buds. Any flower buds would really be starting to burst by now. It's probably just been putting on some growth in response to your feeding. Maybe a bit less feeding now. It looks very healthy and strong now.  Probably flower well next year.

[David Nicholson]

Thanks for that Martin. I hope it flowers next year otherwise hard decisions may need to be taken

[Martin Baxendale]

It should do. The bholuas are usually pretty free flowering. Or at least all of mine are, and I have a fair few.

[sippa]

Hi -- I do not know if this the right place to ask for information on a Daphne.  I received some seed in the exchange of Daphne mahoniana, and I can not find any type of information about the plant.  Maybe one of you on the Forum is growing it, and can tell me what it will look like, hardiness and any other pertinent information.  Another seed exchange also offered the seed, possibly from the same donor.  Thank You

Marianne 

[Michael J Campbell]

Hi Marianne, I grow and propagate quite a few Daphnes but I have never herd of that one, that doesn't  say it does not exist. Just wondering if it is a spelling mistake, which I am prone to making on a regular basis. 
It may well be a new introduction, or an old one that escaped me.

[Maggi Young]

I see that seed of that  name has been offered by several organistaions over a few years.
It was #1237 in this year's SRGC List. According to the mark beside the name it was an unverified name. 

 Stuart's notes say : About the list
Again the RHS Plant Finder1 is my primary information source for avoiding duplicate entries under different
names, and redirecting arrows are used to help those who still use an old name. Species not in the Plant Finder
(there is a version on the internet) are checked with the IPNI website2, and if not found there or by a wider search
(googling) they are marked †.

I will try sending a message to Stuart Pawley to see if he can cast any light on the donor.

[sippa]

Thank you Maggi and Michael.  I noticed the mark next to the name, also checked with a friend of mine who is a Daphne grower.  It will be interesting to see what turns out, if it germinates.

[ruweiss]

The Daphne mahoniana is maybe misspelled and must be D. maloniana, a quite valuable species
from the Balkan as I have heard from  friends. Sorry, no personal experience with this species.