Daphne x transatlantica 'Blafra' ETERNAL FRAGRANCE™

Daphne is a large genus of about 50 species. They are deciduous or evergreen, and commonly renowned for their very fragrant flowers. Hybrid daphne transatlantica is a result of crossing two species of formerly European origin (d.caucasica and d.collina) but the plants used for cross pollination were cultivated in the USA. There were selected those with reliably evergreen foliage because the UK based breeders Anthony Robin White and Susan Barbara White had been looking for a truly evergreen plant with extended blooming time. It seemed like an impossible task and they nearly gave up until 1996 when the first cross-pollinated plant showed flowers. It was named ETERNAL FRAGRANCE™ and granted a US patent PP18321 in 2007.


ETERNAL FRAGRANCE™ is a compact and dense growing variety of a hybrid daphne with long flowering period. Its small flowers are tubular, almost white inside and pale lilac pink outside. They have a strong and sweet perfume and are produced in profusion from late May until early July, and then sporadically re-bloom until the last warm and sunny days of autumn. Leaves are evergreen or semi-deciduous in locations of its marginal hardiness, narrowly elliptic, 3-4 cm long, medium to dark green, and slightly glossy.

It may seem to grow slowly but it bushes out quickly and you will be surprised what growth it can make in a couple of years. Left to its own devices it forms a handsome, dome-shaped shrub, almost one meter wide and tall. It needs no pruning or trimming for a nice shape, but it can take light pruning in late winter or early spring. Never prune too hard – trim only branches with leaves. The entire plant is toxic.

Daphne is usually slow growing, difficult to propagate, and detests transplanting. Hence its higher price on garden centre shelves. Yet once established it makes a beautiful shrub you will admire for many years. It naturally grows in sharply drained soil which is rather dry, yet not as dry as a xeriscape, which makes it an ideal rocky plant. Drainage is essential to keep it alive though ETERNAL FRANGRANCE™ will be quite happy in a normal garden soil of any pH. Keep it moist only for a few months after transplanting. Then do not water it ever again. It does not grow in pots. Do not fertilize but use soil fungi (mycorrhiza). Hardy to min. -27°C (USDA zone 5b), possibly a little lower.

Last update 30-06-2020