Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Erik F. on May 19, 2016, 07:55:05 AM

Title: Advice needed on growing Daphne tangutica
Post by: Erik F. on May 19, 2016, 07:55:05 AM
I've spent quite some time searching the web but was surprised to find scant information that seemed reliable on growing Daphne tangutica. A search of this forum turned up several posts, but none seemed to go into much detail about cultivation. I would greatly appreciate some advice from people who have had first-hand experience with D. tangutica.
Thanks in advance!

Erik
Title: Re: Advice needed on growing Daphne tangutica
Post by: Darren on May 19, 2016, 08:23:18 AM
Erik,

We grow many Daphnes and tangutica is extremely vigorous in our garden.

I can't comment on the exposure to sun in your location. We have other evergreen Daphne (not tangutica) close to a north facing fence that are in full shade from november to february and don't seem to mind.

Our soil is very limy silt (pH7.7) with little organic matter. The Daphnes put their roots down into the limestone rubble we call bedrock. This would help them survive drought, though that is rarely a problem in North West England. Tangutica has certainly survived a couple of dry periods lasting a few months without trouble.

Winter wet is something we have lots of and tangutica has no problems at all, though our soil is very free draining so waterlogging never happens.

Tangutica can easily reach over a metre in diameter in just a few years. Ours keeps obstructing a path so we just hack it back with hedge clippers. It re-shoots even from old wood very easily. Retusa is a better bet if space is limited and is very similar but slower growing.
Title: Re: Advice needed on growing Daphne tangutica
Post by: Martinr on May 19, 2016, 09:02:03 AM
My tangutica cope with several months of shade in winter and with a heavy clay soil also waterlogged for several months in winter and baked bone hard in summer. Ii suspect it's indestructible!
Title: Re: Advice needed on growing Daphne tangutica
Post by: Erik F. on May 28, 2016, 02:57:40 AM
Darren & Martin,

Sorry it's taken me so long to acknowledge your responses, but in this age of instant notifications I simply forgot.

Darren, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to share all this extremely useful information. Martin, thanks a lot for your comments about the extremes that D. tangutica endures in your garden, which make me feel a lot more confident about one of my plans.
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