PLANT OF THE MONTH

JANUARY 2020 — Wintersweet

Common Name: Wintersweet or Japanese Allspice

Location at Bloedel Reserve: Gatehouse beds near the Giant Sequoia

Latin Name: Chimonanthus praecox var. Luteus

Family: Calycanthaceae

Type: Deciduous flowering shrub

Origin:  China

Garden Uses: Border planting, winter Interest specimen

Fun Fact: Native to the forested areas of China, wintersweet fills the area where it is planted with a unique spicy, floral fragrance. The specimen at Bloedel Reserve has been one of our staff’s favorites for years. The genus name comes from the Greek words cheimon meaning “winter” and anthos meaning “flower.” The Latin term praecox means “very early” and refers to the plant’s bloom time. Although one of its common names is “Japanese Allspice,” wintersweet is not related to the culinary ingredient.