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Fragrant Plants

Wintersweet ( La- Mei) Starts to Bloom

18 years ago

Wintersweet is a very special fragrant flower blooming in the winter time. But there is an exception. One species of this plant blooms in the summer time and has no fragrance. I have a collection of three types of fragrant Wintersweet:

waxy yellow, flat petal waxy yellow and purple heart.

My purple heart is blooming now. I can smell the fragrance about one foot away outdoor. If I place one branch indoor, a small room will fill with the fragrance. It is an excellent flower for flower arrangement during Dce and Jan.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Featured Answer

rose5549

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

I got mine from this lady in Fullerton, LA. She is Wintersweet lover. She sells it Cheaper than the Super Market. If you live in Los Angeles and want to buy Wintersweet, let me know I’ll give you her number. She has good collection from small, medium and big trees.

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Comments (61)

cweathersby
18 years ago
Longriver,
Yes I have tried rooting camellias, it was last winter after a 17 degree night and there were only a few camellias in town whose blooms did not freeze, so I asked the owners if I could take cuttings. None of them took, but it was the wrong time of year. Also, a man who propagates them comercially gave a lecture that says they need to be soaked in a mild acid solution (maybe not acid, I have the papers around here somewhere) until the water is clear. The brown stuff that comes out of the stem when being soaked is a root inhibitor. I am going to try and root these camellias in mid summer. I don't know how to graft, and since they are on other people's property I wouldn't be able to air layer it. None of my camellias are really fragrant, but with the cold that we get we are lucky to see any camellia blooms.
Good news, my wintersweet has 2 blooms on it! I just love that smell! A list of things that are blooming right now: winter honeysuckle, wintersweet, and camellias. That's it. Does anyone else have anything to add? Maybe it would give me ideas of what plants I need to get.
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longriver
Original Author
18 years ago
My Wintersweet plants undue many nights under freezing. The petals show no little sign of damage. My purple heart type flowers are at end of stage and my yellow tpye flowers are making a finale show now. The total Wintersweet show time is two months, not a bad deal.
Once wintersweet bush is established, it is very vigous to put out the branches. More branches induced by proper pruning and fertilzing would encourge more flowers. Mature plant would have more flowers. More flower buds would increase the duration of flowering time. My two mature yellow type Winersweet are actually planted in 30 gal plastic pots. I took a picture this morning before it gone with wind.

Here is a link that might be useful:
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yellowthumb
18 years ago
Longriver, I have been keeping a wintersweet for over three years in the container. The first year it only had two buds but dropped off, the 2nd year had about 10 buds and dropped one by one. This year it formed many buds but only two opened and others just simply dropped off. I am very frustrated, I even thinking about throw it outside. I usually kept in outside until end of Novermber when it formed buds, then I moved it into my unheated garage and finally move to my living room at middle of January. But whenever I move it indoors, it started dropping it buds. You mentioned that you have a big one in 30 gallon container. Do you put it outside all the time?
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longriver
Original Author
18 years ago
Yellowthumb: congratulations that you did produce the flowers in Canada.
I am interested in your situation about flower bud dropping.
My first concern is humidity in room temperature, too low.
The second concern is the room temperature may be too high to over stimulate flowering or combination of both.

Wintersweet is considered moderate hardy. I think if you can figure out an area( or enclosure an narrow or corner area)to keep evening about at freezing temperature and day time above freezing to safe keeping the plant. Let the nature takes it's course to flower. If so, the blooming time in your area may be possible in late Feb or early March.

My previous job was conducting research and trouble shooting. I am always working on some challenges including home gardening and camellias breeding. It is very hard to recommend any idea to others due to every household is different.
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yellowthumb
18 years ago
Thanks Longriver,

I think you are right about the humidity and the temperature. The humidity is around 40 - 50%. The temperature is from 17 at night to 22 at daytime. The only two flowers opened so far actually bloomed in my garage. But since it's freezing (about minus 2 degrees) there, the container soil is freezed hard, I am concerned and moved it indoors, but that's a mistake.

The wintersweet is a challenge for Canadians, but I have four Osmanthus (Nanjing's beauty and Fuzhingzhu), they are so easy and happy in my sunroom, always blooming with some new growth. My next challenge is to make my coffee tree set fruits, it's loaded with buds now.

I am very interested with your fragrant Camellia research. When it becomes commerical, please let me know. I only have two Camellias, one loaded with buds, the other one was almost killed by me after repoting.
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longriver
Original Author
18 years ago
If one has four season type Osmanthus, They are starting to produce flowers, even my plant is only one to two feet. The flower clusters of four season type osmanthus can be white, creamy to yellowish color. They starts the flower show continuously off and on to summer, not a bad investment
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herman_neutics
17 years ago
Happy New Year

I am growing Chimonanthus praecox var. 'luteus'. Does anyone know which is correct 'Lutea' or 'Luteus' are they the same?

Bogturtle I am also in SE NJ. I fund that wintersweet like fast drainage and some shelter from wind/reflected heat.

Here is a link that might be useful: My 'Luteus' pics posted here.
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kaihui
17 years ago
Good to know it is called Pupple Heart.

I bought one plant last Oct, it is still a little plant (3 ft tall, maybe_. The nursery told me it would take 5-7 year to bloom, but I got few buds already. Today I picked up the first flower. I was surprised because it looked different from what I saw in China(That must be the yellow wax one). Those I saw in China were purely yellow.

Here is my little plant. I'd say it is still quite fragrant.

Kai
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kaihui
17 years ago
Hi, Longriver, (or whoever can help),
The one I have is a purple heart. It is different from what I saw in china. I guess I what a Waxy Yellow, like photos below(photos are downloaded from internet). Do you know where I can guy some?

Thanks,

Kai
keyechiang
17 years ago
Hi, Kaihui,
I supply pure yellow Fragrant Wintersweet (La-Mei) seedlings and seeds. April is the right time for seedling to transplant, let me know if you interested. And see my link in http://keyecsc.googlepages.com/.
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pinkspoonbill
17 years ago
I have been looking for wintersweet for several months now, and am dying to smell it. I've never seen it, and no nurseries around me have even heard of it. Keyechiang, would you be willing to trade a seedling or rooted plant of the La-Mei? I am also interested in the ones with the purple, in any that are highly fragrant. I've been after chimonanthus praecox. If anyone wants to trade seeds, rooted cuttings or seedlings, I'd be very interested. Keyechiang, I didn't see your email link on your page. Please email me if you wish to trade; I have a link on my page. Also, I'll check this thread probably every day to see if anyone wishes to trade for this plant.

Thanks.
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forever_a_newbie_VA8
16 years ago
Our 3.5 year old wintersweet plant (pure yellow) from seeds bloomed last Friday!

It is about 4~5 feet and doesn't carry a lot of buds. Currently there are only 2 flowers and the smell is sweet though not too strong. But anyway it is a great pleasure to see that this baby finally makes it.

John (longriver) sent me a couple cuttings 4 years ago but they finally got dried out. Fortunately my friend happened to get some seeds back from our collegue in Wuhan China. I started a few in early 2005. Got 2 plants. The one in bloom is planted facing south in full sun. The other one is facing east and about 1/4 the size. A friend digged it out and I hope it will do better in her home (she is going to plant it in full sun too).

Happy gardening!

Changsong
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longriver
Original Author
16 years ago
I notice that there are at least two kinds of yellow type LaMai: shape of pointed petals and round petals. I saw a round petal laMei at a small town, QinTong, north of Nanjiang in 2005.

I have a good year in seed germinating. I harvested the seed pods early, in Sep. The seed shell was cut open very carefully without damaging the seed. So far all my seedlings have been growing very nice. My previous mistake was to harvest seeds too late.
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Home Home
8 years ago
Anyone have chimonathus praecox or osmanthus seeds/ cuttings to spare? I am in NY/NJ/CT area. TIA
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ermazi
8 years ago
I have one small grafted one spare, only 2-3" . It is a very good cultivar grafted on a seedling from seed.
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Home Home
8 years ago
ermazi, thank you. Can you email me rabbitearsx2@yahoo.com plz? IDK how to pm
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cunhao
8 years ago
Hi, I came across this thread when I was looking for a nursery that carries winter sweet. It seems pretty hard to find.

Anyone have spare pure yellow chimonathus praecox seeds/ cuttings to share? I am in CA bay area.

Happy New Year!

Thanks,

Alex
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ermazi
8 years ago
Hi, Cunhao. The pure yellow winter sweet is a kind of cultivar named Suxin(素心）。But the plants from seeds of a Suxin do not keep pure yellow, generally their flowers are with purple center. Root cutting is not easy for winter sweet. That is why in China, most good cultivars Winter sweet plants are grafted.
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HU-3046387
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I live in Los Angeles, does anyone know where to get wintersweet tree? Thanks!
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ermazi
8 years ago
http://www.whitmanfarms.com/allplants/ornamental-plants/miscellaneous-plants/wintersweet-chimonanthus-praecox/

http://www.lazyssfarm.com/Plants/Shrubs/A-Ch%20Shrubs/shrubs_trees_Ca-Ch.htm#SHRU12240
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gayathrisatya
8 years ago
Cunhao, If you live in the bay area, right now, you get wintersweet trees at Ranch 99 shops. They bring it in around this time and it sells fast.
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PNW-Transplant
8 years ago
IMO the color of the flower is unimportant, if there is a named variety that has even more scent then I'd definitely be interested. Also, there are tons of listing on eBay for seeds.

http://www.dancingoaks.com/home/dok/page_973_48/page_973/chimonanthus_praecox.html

https://secure.gosslerfarms.com/k9bytes/k9bytes.php?CMD=dispproducts&type=featured
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iti888
8 years ago
Marina at Fremont sells Wintersweet from this nursery:

http://www.southpacificorchid.com/oriental-flower-plants
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cunhao
8 years ago
Thank you all for your response!

@Tom, yes the pure yellow one does smell much better and stronger than the purple heart one.

@iti888, thanks a lot for the information! I'll check out that nursery. It's not far away. :)

@gayathrisatya, thanks. Yes I did find 99 ranch supermarket selling the pure yellow winter sweet. It's somehow over priced there for $128.
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PNW-Transplant
8 years ago
cunhao - Maybe the one with less scent is the 'Grandiflorus' variety? The yellow flowered one apparently is called 'Luteus'.

http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/chimonanthus-praecox-wintersweet
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rose5549
7 years ago
Got my mom Pure Yellow Wintersweet today. She loves it so much. The flowers smell so lovely. It’s really hard to find and very expensive.
myermike_1micha
7 years ago
Pl;ease, where did you get that plant?? All I see is seeds and would like to buy one for mines..Thank you
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myermike_1micha
7 years ago
Rose, thank you! Unfortunately I live in Massachusetts, land of the Patriots football team. I wish she shipped here...Bummer..
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myermike_1micha
7 years ago
Rose, do you think she might ship me one if I paid shipping? =Can I have her number so I can find out? Thanks a million.

Mike
PNW-Transplant
7 years ago
FYI Camellia Forest Nursery has chimonanthus plants. Also, Gossler Nursery in Oregon.
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Home Home
7 years ago
Rose and mike, I would like the lady in fulertons number too. Thx
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rose5549
7 years ago

Sorry, Mike. She sold out because people wanted them for the Chinese New Year! Hopefully, next year she’ll get more.
Home Home
7 years ago
Hi Rose, can you PM her contact info to rabbitearsx2 at yahoo to get on the wait list early? Thx
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rose5549
7 years ago
And she won’t do shipping.

Housedecorchange, are you in Fullerton LA?
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myermike_1micha
7 years ago
Found my Winter Sweet and just got it delivered yesterday!! A nice size tree, I love it.
rose5549
7 years ago
Wonderful. So happy for you. Mine is still blossom and smell lovely.
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houzi
6 years ago
Hi there,can anyone tell me when wintersweet normally sets flower buds?

I have 3 'Luteus' plants and one has several flower buds right now even though the leaves haven't changed colour for autumn yet.Does this mean I shouldn't expect flowers on the others as they have no buds yet? They must be in no more than their 3rd year from grafting,I also have several 3year seedling normal wintersweets but I guess they're too young yes?..I'm in UK

Many thanks.
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socalnolympia
6 years ago
Longriver, the fragrant rose species was the damask rose and existed in Europe (and they certainly did make fragrant perfume out of it).

I think one of the reasons the Chinese overlooked so many species was because they already had so much biodiversity and they were distracted by so many other species. Regions further North that couldn't grow as much variety focused on cultivating and breeding what could grow there.
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socalnolympia
6 years ago
Wintersweet to me smells sort of like a mix of jasmine and honeysuckle. It can be smelled from about four feet away.
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myermike_1micha
6 years ago
Is this winter sweet hardy to Zone 5?

I have a couple and not sure if I should leave them out fr winter, protect them, or keep them inside. Ugh
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socalnolympia
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
It's unlikely to be hardy in zone 5, but might be possible if you have a very warm spot, up against the South side of the house facing the sun, protected from wind, and you live in the warmer part of zone 5.

Also keep in mind this blooms during the Winter, so the blooms are likely to freeze off if it gets extremely cold.

If it's growing in a container, you should definitely bring them inside. Plants growing in containers are usually less hardy because the soil and roots are more exposed to the surrounding cold.
myermike_1micha
6 years ago
Socal, thank you. It's buried in a pot until the ground starts to freeze or I will cover it and see what happens. Thanks )
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Carlos De La Cruz
4 years ago
Hi, I know this is an old thread, but does anybody know where to get wintersweet near Los Angeles nowadays? Thanks.
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socalnolympia
4 years ago
I saw a Wintersweet tree that was in bloom in Portland about a week ago, at the start of January.

Which means that these trees will still bloom in fairly cold climates, zone 8a. Then again, it's been a pretty mild winter so far.
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PeonyDays
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Anyone know where I can get the rounded-petal Wintersweet (like pictured) in SF Bay Area at a good or reasonable price? And does wintersweet come in red - Hong LaMei?
kdaodfjaoto kjfaodf
3 years ago
Anyone know where I can buy a pure yellow plant/tree? I'm in Orange County, CA. Rose, if you are still on here, can you send me the lady in Fullerton's contact info. I just started using Houzz, and don't know how to communicate with the people posting the comments.
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Amy Mong
3 years ago
I'm also looking for pure yellow wintersweet in Orange County Ca.
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forever_a_newbie_VA8
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Nice to see this 15 year old thread is still living!

My purple heart winter sweet has reached over 10 feet and becomes a monster. I think that it is a Dog-Teeth variety which is the primitive type and less desirable. I just met a friend who has a pure yellow variety and I will try to root some cuttings, as well as graft her branches to mine.

Wish me luck because I'll need a lot to be successful!

Everyone happy gardening and have a great holiday season!
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forever_a_newbie_VA8
last month
Happy lunar year of 2025春节快乐

Our 15 year old purple heart winter sweet started blooming around Christmas, and it is still filling the yard with amazing fragrance today 1/30/2025, even though it has passed the peak and many flowers have dropped

Flowering Apricot or Prunus mume blooms later than normal years. We had 3 snows already though every one only lasted a day

checking notes last year it bloomed before 1/15, and this year it has ot opened much 1/30
0

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