JAUARY/FEBRUARY -2012
Best Around the Bush
Winter-blooming shrubs flourish with flowers and fragrance
By Steve Huddleston
 Do you think winter is a drab season void of flowering color in the garden? Nothing could be farther from the truth. Besides pansies, violas and other winter annuals that bloom all winter and the many shrubs that produce gorgeous berries in the winter, several shrubs grace the winter garden with flowers and fragrance.
Camellias are evergreen shrubs that sport gorgeous pink, red or white flowers in winter. They are best suited for well-drained, acidic soils common in east Texas but will do well in the metroplex if planted in a raised bed of azalea mix or a mixture of pine bark nuggets and sphagnum peat moss. Morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal. Camellia sasanqua is the better of two species for north central Texas because it tolerates cold weather better than Camellia japonica.
Flowering quince (Chaenomeles japonica) is a deciduous shrub that is one of the first shrubs to bloom in the late winter, popping into spectacular bloom even in February. This member of the rose family produces rose-like single or double flowers in red, pink, white or orange. Texas Scarlet is a variety that features intense red flowers and makes a shrub 3 to 5 feet tall. Quince is a very twiggy shrub with a rather coarse texture when leafed out. It’s kind of an “ugly duckling” among shrubs when not in bloom, so plant it away from the house in shrub beds where other plants will obscure its ratty appearance during the growing season. Flowering quince does best in full sun and appreciates a neutral or slightly acidic soil. If the soil is too alkaline, the leaves will turn yellow because of iron deficiency.
Leatherleaf mahonia (Mahonia bealei) is a slow-growing, evergreen shrub adapted to USDA hardiness zones 6 through 9. Its woody, erect and multiple stems grow to a height of 4 to 6 feet with a spread of 3 to 4 feet. The pinnately-compound leaves are 12 to 15 inches long, grow from the stems in horizontal tiers and feature 9 to 13 leaflets that are grayish- or bluish-green above and olive green below. Each stiff, leathery leaflet features sharp marginal spines that give the foliage a holly-like appearance. Leatherleaf mahonia brings cheer to the months of January and February when it produces 3 to 6 inches long swirling spikes of small, delightfully fragrant, lemon-yellow flowers that entice both bees and humans at a time when few other plants are blooming. The flowers are followed by large clusters of striking, purplish-blue berries that remain throughout the summer. Leatherleaf mahonia prefers partial shade to shade in well-drained soil. Although it appreciates moisture, leatherleaf mahonia exhibits considerable drought tolerance once established.
Fringe flower (Loropetalum chinense) has evergreen, burgundy leaves that stand out in the winter landscape and contrast nicely with other plants in the garden. Most varieties grow 4 to 8 feet tall, but Purple Pixie grows only 2 feet tall by 4 ½ feet wide. Fringe-like, fuchsia-colored flowers appear in late winter and early spring on all loropetalums. Loropetalum prefers full sun to partial shade but blooms best and has the most attractive leaf color in full sun.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a tough, evergreen shrub that takes full sun and tolerates drought. It grows in most any soil, provided it is well-drained. The average size is from 2 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide, depending on variety. The leaves are needle-like and ½ to 1 ½ inches long by 1/8 inch wide. Leaves are dark sage green above, white and wooly underneath and very aromatic when crushed. Although the aromatic leaves are the best feature of rosemary, it does sport an abundance of small, light blue flowers that can start blooming in February and continue through spring. Some varieties have darker, more intense blue flowers. A beautiful, upright and particularly robust variety is Gorizzia.
Winter daphne (Daphne odora) is a slow-growing, evergreen shrub that grows 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide in USDA hardiness zones 7 through 9. It does best in partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. It forms a rounded, densely-branched mound of leathery, green leaves. In late winter, this little shrub produces rosy-purple buds that open rose pink. The flowers are extremely fragrant. Plant this little shrub in a spot where you will pass it often during the blooming period and take in its delightful fragrance.
Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera frangrantissima) is one of the most delightful winter-blooming shrubs of all. The shrub itself reaches a height of 6 feet or so and is another “ugly ducking” shrub because of its rather coarse appearance and bark texture. The semi-evergreen leaves are bluish-green, round and attach directly to the stems. As early as January, winter honeysuckle produces an abundance of small, cream-colored flowers that are hardly noticeable. However, their fragrance is unmistakable! The flowers have a musky, citrus fragrance that permeates the air over quite an area. Plant this shrub toward the back of a shrub or mixed border but in an area where you can enjoy its winter fragrance.
Clearly, then, your winter garden can be filled with an array of flowering shrubs that drive away drabness by providing both color and fragrance. Include some or all of these shrubs in your landscape and see how delightful the winter season can be.
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