This article was written by Gail Griffin, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer with North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Lee County.

You may just love the answer to that question.  The paperbush plant, Edgeworthia chrysantha, is a deciduous shrub that puts on a show in late winter with not only eye-catching blooms, but a delightful fragrance as well.

Native to woodland areas in China, paperbush was a plant long used for making paper. Cultivated in Japan in the sixteenth century, its inner bark was used in high

quality handmade ornamental wallpapers and calligraphy paper.  Bank notes were almost exclusively made with the paperbush plant because of its durability.

During summer months, its blue-green tropical looking leaves may be mistaken for rhododendron.  As autumn approaches, the foliage turns a rich golden yellow before leaf drop and in December, the transformation begins.  Silvery flower buds are revealed among multi-branched, cinnamon colored stems.  Around mid-January, dozens of tiny florets begin to open.  They are gathered around one and a half to two inch tubular clusters throughout the plant in shades of creamy white to yellow and bloom continues until early April. Buds and blossoms can hold up to sleet, snow and ice.  As flowers emerge, fragrance fills the air.  It has been described as a sweet and spicy aroma much like gardenia, but with a little kick.

Paperbush, a member of the daphne family, prefers a partial shade exposure with protection from the afternoon sun. Provide enriched soil with plenty of organic matter and good drainage.  Water during dry periods.  It appears to have no serious pests or diseases and needs little to no pruning. The umbrella shaped shrub can get up to seven feet tall, so give it plenty of room in the back of a border or plant as a specimen.  It can grow in slightly acidic soils and will do well in our area.  Plant near walkways where the fragrance and beauty can be appreciated.  It can be used in a winter garden, a woodland landscape or butterfly garden where it will attract pollinators.  For more information, explore the extension toolbox at https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/edgeworthia-chrysantha/

You may have the perfect spot in your landscape for a paperbush plant. Maybe the question should be, do I have room for more than one?

Gail Griffin is an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer with North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Lee County.