Chamaedaphne - Leatherleaf

(Chamaedaph'ne)

DESCRIPTION: This group contains only one hardy, evergreen shrub. C. calyculata, commonly known as Leatherleaf, is found wild in bogs throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It's height ranges from 1 to 4 feet, depending on the conditions in which it is grown. The Leatherleaf forms a wiry shrub covered with oblong- or lanceolate-shaped leaves. In the spring, white, heath-like flowers are produced along the arching branches.

POTTING: Leatherleaves should be grown in moist, peaty, acidic soil, or in sandy loam which is free of lime and has had an abundance of leaf mold mixed in. It is better to do the planting in early fall. They should have a partially shaded position, as they will not thrive in dry soil in a hot, sunny location. When the shrubs become over crowded, the oldest and weakest branches should be cut out, in April.

PROPAGATION: Seeds may be sown thinly in sandy peat and placed in a greenhouse or garden frame, in the spring. Cuttings may be made from 3- to 4-inch shoots and inserted in a bed of sandy peat outside and covered with a bell jar, in July and August. The shrubs may be lifted and divided in October, planting each rooted clump as a new shrub. The ends of shoots may be bent down to the soil and layered in the fall.

VARIETIES: C. calyculata & var. nana.

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