How to Grow and Care for Wintersweet

Wintersweet, also known as Japanese allspice, Early wintersweet

Wintersweet requires partial shade to full sun exposure for optimal blooming but can tolerate various light conditions. It's crucial to provide well-draining soil and to protect the plant from strong winds. During the growing season, maintain consistent moisture levels without overwatering, as this could lead to root rot.

Watering schedule: Every 2 weeks

Sunlight Requirements: Full sun

In This Article

Planting and Growing Wintersweet

Toughness	High
Care Level	Low
Care Difficulty	Moderate
Lifespan	Perennial
Watering Schedule	Every 2 weeks
Sunlight Requirements	Full sun
Soil Type	Garden Soil
Soil pH	6-7
Planting Time	Spring, Fall
Hardiness Zones	7-9

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Varieties of Wintersweet

Wintersweet 'Luteus'

A descendent of the popular Chimonanthus praecox 'Wintersweet', wintersweet 'Luteus' is one of its two cultivars that have achieved the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Its pleasant scent and appearance are what make wintersweet 'Luteus' so highly prized among horticulturalists. In Latin, "Luteus" simply means "yellow," a name given for the color of the plant's blooms.

Wintersweet 'Grandiflorus'

Wintersweet 'Grandiflorus' is a cultivar of Chimonanthus praecox that displays particularly large blooms. This is reflected in the name allocated to this hybrid, as "Grandiflorus" literally means "having large flowers" when translated from Latin into English. Gardeners commend wintersweet 'Grandiflorus' for its sweet aroma and captivating winter flowers.

Wintersweet 'Concolor'

Wintersweet 'Concolor' is a deciduous shrub offering lovely golden-yellow scented ball-shaped flowers that bloom in winter. The foliage is medium green. This is a cultivar of the Wintersweet and named for its uniquely uniform yellow-colored flowers. Gardeners love this plant for its hardiness and its ability to flower in winter when other plants are bare and dormant.

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More General Info About Wintersweet

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Wintersweet is a deciduous shrub, characterized by its cane-like growth forming a fountain-shaped bush that can reach heights of 10-15 feet (3-4.5 meters). Its leaves are opposite, rough in texture, and it sheds them during winter. During this leafless state, wintersweet reveals its most striking feature - yellow flowers with a purplish center that exude a strong fragrance. These blossoms emerge in the cooler months, providing color in winter gardens. The shrub’s branches tend to become leggy and require pruning to maintain a neat appearance.