Wintersweet
Chimonanthus praecox
Also called Chimonanthus and Wintersweet
Garden plant · ShrubsIT WILL NOT FLOWER FOR FIVE OR SIX YEARS and then does so every January, on bare wood, and the scent carries across a garden. There is no way to hurry it and nothing wrong with a young plant that has not started.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 5 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Full sun, against a warm wall
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a cold winter RHS H5, to -15°C
- Size
- 3 m tall · 3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Shrub
- Origin
- China
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-21. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.