Habitat
- coastal plain of the southeastern United States
- zone 5
Habit
and Form
- a deciduous shrub
- 4' to 7' tall
- typically broader than tall
- upright spreading to irregular branching
- in full sun it is dense and rounded
- in shade it is more loose, open and irregular
Summer
Foliage
- opposite leaf arrangement
- 2" to 5" long
- ovate to elliptical with acute tip
- dark green color
- fragrant when crushed
Autumn
Foliage
- can be yellow green
- usually nothing to write home about
Flowers
- blooms May through July
- flowers a dark, chocolate brown to maroon
- up to 2" across
- comprised of numerous tepals
- not as showy in bloom as one might expect
- spicy fragrance, especially in the evening
Fruit
- balloon or urn-shaped, tan capsules
- persist into winter after ripening in October
- about 2" to 3" long
- wrinkled surface
Bark
- glabrous twigs
- gray brown color
Culture
- full sun is best, but tolerant of partial shade
- likes moist, rich soils best
- soil pH adaptable
- prune after flowering
- may need renewal pruning if it becomes leggy
Landscape
Use
- specimen
- shrub border
- woods edge
- foundation plant
- for aromatic flowers
Liabilities
- a favorite target of rabbits
- can become leggy in shade
- generally insect and disease free
ID
Features
- foliage aromatic when crushed
- maroon, multi-tepal flowers in summer
- fragrant flowers
- persistent urn-shaped fruits; distinctive
- buds are densely brown-hairy and surrounded by shelf-like leaf scars
Propagation
Cultivars/Varieties
'Athens' - Unusual form with flowers that are yellow and very fragrant.
Flowers may be produced after initial late spring flush, often into mid-summer.
Habit is dense and mounded (to 6' tall), with glossy leaves. A handsome form
that has been well-received by horticulturists.
'Edith Wilder' - Flowers are reddish-brown and very fragrant.
Leaves are more rounded than typical. Fall color is a reasonably good
yellow. Grows larger (10' tall) than typical for the species.
'Michael Lindsey' - Very fragrant red-brown flowers. Habit is dense,
compact and rounded (6' to 10' tall). Excellent shiny, dark green foliage and
golden yellow fall color. Considered the finest red-flowered form.
