In The Garden: Fragrant round yellow inflorescences - Edgeworthia chrysantha

It's not in my garden, or seemingly anyone's garden, but it's clearly a landscaping plant, which I saw when I got off the Aquabus on my way home yesterday. The balls of fuzzy yellow flowers are around 6cm across and are very fragrant. Actually, the buds in the centre are green, surrounded by yellow flowers, then white ones on the outside. Everything about the plant seems fuzzy, except for the branches.

A woman who came over to smell them said they reminded her of the fragrance of huele de noche from where she grew up (I neglected to ask where), which might give an idea to some of you what is smells like. That name seems to be used for several different plants - I've seen honeysuckle, jasmine, jessamine.

 

Re: Fragrant round yellow inflorescences

Edgeworthia.

 

Re: Fragrant round yellow inflorescences

Thanks, Ron. Edgeworthia chrysantha (Edgeworthia papyrifera is possibly a synonym - I see there's some dispute about this), seems to be the popular one based on Google images. It also comes with red or all-white colouring.

Here's a page that gives a description and several cultivars. In French, or Google-translated.

 

I was going to post this as a query, noting that I'd already posted something else in this very planter, but by gosh, I think it's the very same Edgeworthia chrysantha. Have a look at the March posting to see why I was so surprised. Fortunately, I was able to discover that these buds are not going to be open next week - I've now read that Edgeworthia buds appear in the fall before it loses its leaves. That's saved me several trips.

This plant has areas of wonderfully marked reddish bark.

For anyone who might go check this out, there are two such planters at this location.

 

Here it is January 5, and these Edgeworthia are already starting to open. They're already fragrant too, but only up close.

 

Just to add to your thread..
The branches are so supple and flexible you can tie them in a knot.
In Japan the bark is made into high quality paper.

While in Sikkim, India I saw it growing wild on the hillsides near Darjeeling and was privileged to handle a limited edition botanical book, printed on the paper made from Edgeworthia chrysantha.

How this shrub lifts my spirits in the middle of winter!

 

I got to check out these same Edgeworthia chrysantha with their snow hats. These are somewhat under cover, as you can see from the ground. Maybe we've had 5cm accumulation in this West End/Downtown area. I think this is our first snowfall of the season - I was away for two months, not following the weather too closely.