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| Courtesy Plant Select |
The Carol Mackie Daphne (Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’) shrub is an outstanding eye catcher in any landscape. It is so delicate looking that it doesn’t appear to be a plant that does well in Colorado.
It has a dense mounded form that matures to 3-4’ tall and wide. The foliage consists of small, narrow – oblong leaves that are edged with a creamy white line. It almost looks like they were painted on with a paintbrush. An enticement is that they stay exactly that color all season long. They are also semi-evergreen if the winters don’t get too cold. The ones I have had over the years have not had significant leaf damage in my Front Range gardens.
Another reward is the profuse small pink-tinged white flowers that cover the plant and have a very pleasant heavy fragrance. The flowers begin to show in mid spring and then pop out for a fantastic display of color and fragrance.
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| Courtesy Spring Meadow Nursery |
Amazingly, it is tolerant of our alkaline soils. However, it is not tolerant of wet locations or being transplanted once established so make sure you have sited it correctly. A myth that I have found both on my own and in the literature is that is does not like to be pruned back. I have had to prune an older one with 1” stems back to the ground and it recovered to a beautiful shape in 6 weeks. Other gardeners prune to shape and have sung its praises.
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| Photo Steven White |
It prefers some protection from the heavy sun, but some have had luck in full sun.
Carol Mackie was placed on the Plant Select list Carol Mackie Daphne in 1997 and has definitely proved its worth as a specimen plant, a border plant or in a mass planting.