Plant Profile: Daphne genkwa

Names

Blue Daphne, Lilac Daphne

  • Photo of Daphne genkwa (Daphne genkwas)

Phonetic Spelling:DAF-nee GEN-kwah

Genus:Daphne

Species:genkwa

Family:Thymelaeaceae

Daphne genkwa is indigenous to East Asia, specifically found in regions of China and Korea. It thrives in environments such as the edges of rice paddies, hillsides, and valleys. For optimal growth, this plant prefers areas with hot summers and relatively mild winters. The flower buds form in the fall on the new growth of the current year. In regions with harsh winter conditions, these buds may not endure the cold, resulting in a lack of flowers in the subsequent year.

Once established, it is advisable not to move this plant, as it does not respond well to root disturbance. It typically reaches full maturity in about five years.

The flowers emerge on bare stems before the gray-green leaves unfurl.

In terms of pests and diseases, it is important to note that all parts of this plant are toxic.

Daphne genkwa Feature Summary

Daphne genkwa Image Gallery

Tags

#fragrant
#showy flowers
#deciduous
#poisonous
#fragrant flowers
#shrub
#showy
#moths
#deciduous shrub
#cut flowers
#winter interest
#rock gardens
#cutting garden
#pollinator plant
#evergreen shrub
#short lifespan
#flies
#butterfly friendly
#winter flowers
#late winter flowers
#herb
#pollinators
#pollinator garden
#bee friendly
#broadleaf
#cutting

Similar Plants

Daphne genkwa is often confused with:

Daphne genkwa Feature Summary

Attributes
China to Temp. Eastern Asia
Attractive to pollinators. Bees, flies, butterflies and moths are pollinators of this plant.
Flowers
Lilac flowers appear in groups of clusters, with 2-7 blooms per cluster. The slightly fragrant flowers can be lilac, rose-purple, or white. They will open in the late winter to early spring before the leaves form.
Purple/Lavender
Blue
Fragrant
Good Cut
Showy
Spring
Winter
4-5 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
The leaves are simple and mostly opposite leaves, however, some are alternate. Silky hairs can be found on both sides of the leaves when they first appear. Gradually they will become obsolete, only remaining along the veins on the underside. The upper side of the foliage is a dull green with a paler green on the underside.
Green
Gray/Silver
Opposite
Alternate
Ovate
Lanceolate
1-3 inches
Leathery
< 1 inch
Stem
The thin stems are sparsely branched.
Green
Gold/Yellow
Poisonous to Humans
HIGHLY TOXIC, MAY BE FATAL IF EATEN! Unknown, but possibly as in D. mezereum.
Unknown, suspected to be a diterpenoid (mezerein)
Seeds
Leaves
Stems
Sap/Juice
Flowers
Bark
Fruits
Roots
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
3 feet-6 feet
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Fruit
Red/Burgundy
Black
White
Landscape
Cutting Garden
Rock Garden
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Winter Garden
Border
Hedge
Mass Planting
Accent
Screen/Privacy
Specimen
Patio
Walkways
Lawn
Meadow
Pool/Hardscape
Butterflies
Bees
Moths
Poisonous to Humans
Short-lived

Daphne genkwa Attributes

Daphne genkwa: Country Or Region Of Origin

China to Temp. Eastern Asia

Daphne genkwa: Wildlife Value

Attractive to pollinators. Bees, flies, butterflies and moths are pollinators of this plant.

Daphne genkwa: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Daphne genkwa: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Daphne genkwa Flowers

Daphne genkwa: Flower Description

Lilac flowers appear in groups of clusters, with 2-7 blooms per cluster. The slightly fragrant flowers can be lilac, rose-purple, or white. They will open in the late winter to early spring before the leaves form.

Daphne genkwa: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender

Daphne genkwa: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Daphne genkwa: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Daphne genkwa: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Daphne genkwa: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Daphne genkwa: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Daphne genkwa Leaves

Daphne genkwa: Leaf Description

The leaves are simple and mostly opposite leaves, however, some are alternate. Silky hairs can be found on both sides of the leaves when they first appear. Gradually they will become obsolete, only remaining along the veins on the underside. The upper side of the foliage is a dull green with a paler green on the underside.

Daphne genkwa: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Daphne genkwa: Leaf Color

spa
Gray/Silver
spa
Green

Daphne genkwa: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Daphne genkwa: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Daphne genkwa: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Daphne genkwa: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Daphne genkwa: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Daphne genkwa: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Daphne genkwa: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Daphne genkwa Stem

Daphne genkwa: Stem Description

The thin stems are sparsely branched.

Daphne genkwa: Stem Color

grass
Gold/Yellow
grass
Green

Daphne genkwa: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Daphne genkwa Poisonous to Humans

Daphne genkwa: Poison Symptoms

HIGHLY TOXIC, MAY BE FATAL IF EATEN! Unknown, but possibly as in D. mezereum.

Daphne genkwa: Poison Toxic Principle

Unknown, suspected to be a diterpenoid (mezerein)

Daphne genkwa: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Daphne genkwa: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Daphne genkwa: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Daphne genkwa Whole Plant Traits

Daphne genkwa: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Daphne genkwa: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Daphne genkwa: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Daphne genkwa: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Daphne genkwa: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Daphne genkwa: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Daphne genkwa Cultural Conditions

Daphne genkwa: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Daphne genkwa: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Daphne genkwa: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Daphne genkwa: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Daphne genkwa: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Daphne genkwa: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Daphne genkwa: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Daphne genkwa Fruit

Daphne genkwa: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Daphne genkwa: Fruit Color

grass
Black
grass
Red/Burgundy
grass
White

Daphne genkwa Landscape

Daphne genkwa: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Daphne genkwa: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Daphne genkwa: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Daphne genkwa: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Daphne genkwa: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy