Drimys winteri

Drimys winteri, called Winter's bark, is nicknamed Magellan's Cinnamon because of the fragrance emitted by its bark, and its origins in Patagonia, not far from the Strait of Magellan. Forming a beautiful evergreen bush, it also has aromatic foliage and offers a delicious cream-white flowering in spring with a fragrance of anise and jasmine. Not very hardy, it also does not appreciate scorching summers. It is therefore best in coastal gardens. Interesting for its year-round presence in the garden, its elegant habit, fragrance, and density, Winter's Bark Tree is a beautiful subject to introduce into hedges and shrub borders, or as a standalone plant.

Drimys winteri belongs to an ancient botanical family related to magnolias, the Winteraceae family. It is present in Argentina, in the Andean part of Patagonia and as far as Tierra del Fuego, but also in Chile and southern Brazil. It is often found at low altitudes (< 300 m (984 ft 4 in)), frequently in humid and shady environments, in the undergrowth. This moderately fast-growing bush will reach about 5m (16 ft 5 in) in height and 3m (9 ft 10 in) in width in our climates. Its young red branches bear large, entire, leathery leaves, measuring between 10 and 20 cm (3.9 and 7.9 in) long and 5 cm (2 in) wide. Their colour is a bright green, shiny on the upper side, with the underside being a very light, matte green. Before falling, the older leaves turn apricot-coloured with red veins and show dark red pits. The foliage, and perhaps even more so the bark, is rich in aromatic compounds. The nectar-rich flowering occurs in April-May, on plants aged 5 to 6 years minimum. It is manifested by the formation of fairly loose spherical panicles at the ends of the branches. The star-shaped flowers, 2 to 3 cm (0.8 to 1.2 in) in size, are composed of 6 to 14 waxy-looking petals, ranging in colour from cream to pinkish-white and emitting a delicate fragrance. Depending on the climate, the flowering will produce small fruits that turn purple to black when ripe. Once dried, they can be used as a spice.

Winter's bark is not difficult to cultivate in a suitable climate and in soil that is poor in limestone, rich in humus, and not too dry. It is elegant and ornamental year-round and possesses a gently exotic charm. Use it as a standalone plant in a small garden. It also excels in an evergreen hedge, a windbreak, alone or mixed with other evergreens such as oleaster, photinias, olearias... It can also be included in the composition of a large bed of ericaceous shrubs with rhododendrons, camellias, hydrangeas, kalmia, Hamamelis, and Pieris, for example.