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January 30, 2008 : Chimonanthus praecox 'Grandiflorus'
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Keywords: Calycanthaceae | Chimonanthus praecox 'Grandiflorus' | 017700-0013-1979
Thanks again to Eric La Fountaine for the write-up and photograph today!
The bright snow-covered flowers of Chimonanthus praecox 'Grandiflorus' indicate the reason for the first half of the species' common name, winter sweet. If you pass by the plant on Upper Asian Way in the David C. Lam Asian Garden, the sweetness drifts heavily in the air — even on a snowy winter day. 'Grandiflorus' has yellow flowers with maroon centres, which are larger than those of the species. The Royal Horticultural Society gave the cultivar an Award of Garden Merit in 1928 and a First Class Certificate in 1991. The heady fragrance is intoxicating, especially in winter when few flowers bloom in the garden. The scent of the species and its other cultivars is said to be even stronger than 'Grandiflorus'.
Native to China, Chimonanthus praecox is a multibranching deciduous shrub that can grow to 4 metres or more in height and spread. The winter bloomer is hardy to USDA Zone 6.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at January 30, 2008 8:33 AM
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Comments
Posted by: Justine Roths at January 30, 2008 8:50 AM
Yellow and smelly sure sounds insect pollenated to me, though I'm not sure either who is alive and flying this time of year.
Posted by: Joe at January 30, 2008 9:01 AM
Conditions might be different in wild habitat.
Posted by: Ron B at January 30, 2008 10:08 AM
Chimonanthus kee-mon-anth-us From Gk. cheima [winter] and anthos [a flower] referring to its winter-flowering habit. praecox prie-koks. Early [flowering] Dictionary of Plant Names, Coombes
Posted by: Beverley at January 30, 2008 11:33 AM
I am also curious as to who the pollenator could be! Perhaps a bird? It seems to suggest an insect though. Perhaps someone could find out?
Posted by: Laura at January 30, 2008 2:26 PM
Here on VI, just over the water from Vancouver, we get lots of warm days in the winter with a few bugs around. I have no idea of the conditions of its native soil.
Posted by: Old Ari at January 30, 2008 2:29 PM
is this the plant known as wintersweet
Posted by: elizabeth a airhart at January 30, 2008 2:49 PM
Possible pollinators: A quick Google search on Chimonanthus pollinator turns up several papers in Chinese. The automatic translation is not great, but bees (Apis) and a couple of flies are mentioned as pollinators.
Posted by: R. Parker at January 30, 2008 3:14 PM
I don't know who/how this plant is pollinated. Certainly there are insects, including moths of several families, that are active and flying in the early winter and late winter as well. Bernd Heinrich has written about how these poikilothermic, ("cold-blooded"), critters manage this in Natural History and elsewhere. Any observant New Englander has seen various insects flying when the temps are around and somewhat below freezing.
Posted by: George L. 
at January 30, 2008 3:44 PM
lovely flower capture.
Posted by: janet at January 30, 2008 6:39 PM
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Does this plant rely on an insect pollinator? If so, I wonder who is active when it blooms to take care of that chore.... The flowers seem showy to be wind pollinated.