The Edgeworthia chrysantha, or "Paper bush", is a small bush that thrives on light, well-drained soil and is finally beginning to flower here in the north.
Apart from its unusual, fragrant flowers, its appeal lies in the fact that its flowering takes place well before the foliage, as with Cornus mas, Hamamelis, or other Forsythias. The flowering is clearly visible, not parasitised by the foliage, which will unfold much later, around April.
It is said to be rather hardy, but truth be told, it is much more hardy than one might think. The shrub is planted here in a semi-shaded rock garden; it benefits from light soil, not too dry nor too damp, and it is naturally sheltered by tall trees to the north and west. It has withstood frosts down to about -16°C without suffering; the flowers, which form quite early around December–January, are very hardy when in bud but once they open (mid-February here) morning frosts can damage and burn them.
Edgeworthia chrysantha
This little bush (about 1.50 m tall) is fairly easy to grow in temperate regions, elsewhere it's best to plant it against a house wall, to the west or south in a cool, slightly shaded setting. When morning frosts are not too severe, the inflorescences fully unfurl, eventually forming rounded heads, and the flowers emit a suave and powerful fragrance that perfumes a radius of about 5 metres around the house.
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