The little uplift of the ice flower
Winter sweet is sometimes known as the ice flower.
It blooms on leafless branches in the middle of winter when frosts are common.
This time of the year can be quite depressing but a bush of winter sweet can brighten the day as the perfume from the freshly opened flowers wafts through the still, frosty air.
In fact many say it has the sweetest fragrance of any shrub.
Winter sweet originates in China where the dried flowers are used to perfume clothes in much the same way as we use dried lavender flowers.
Several different species of winter sweet are available for the home gardener. Most are shrubs or small trees that loose their leaves in the winter.
They can be pruned straight after flowering and in the home garden can be kept to the size of a small bush if desired.
They like partial sun and well drained soil.
There’s a warning.
Goat owners beware. Winter sweet contains a poison that has made some goats ill and has been responsible for several deaths.
Don’t expect newly purchased winter sweet specimens to flower soon after planting.
They sometimes take several years to mature and fill the air with their fragrance. Grown from seed, they can take up to 10 years to flower.