Evergreen shrubs with spotty leaves often are getting too damp at the root. The really poor leaf color of your daphne may also indicate it is not getting good enough soil aeration and drainage, or it may just need more nitrogen. It may also be getting too much sun.

Daphnes are very touchy about soil moisture. You have to hope your soil is perfect when you plant a daphne.

I don't see anything wrong with yours though. That's what they tend to look like. The paleness could be root rot, or it could be too much sun (not likely in this area!), or not enough fertilizer, but it's too cold to fertilize right now. It may simply have been too wet too long in December with all the rain, but we've had a long dry spell now so it has a chance to recover on its own. Or, it could just be old leaves dropping off. Looks like the yellowest leaves are the lower ones, which is normal.

I'd leave it alone. Make sure nothing's obstructing drainage, and no runoff is going there.

Thank you, you guys! Yes, my drainage is so very poor. I've been applying compost to all plants in an effort to break up the clay, but i'm guessing it's going to take more than just a few seasons to really impact soil quality.

They're situated on a downward slope, but the whole yard is just now recovering from winter saturation. Given your feedback, i'm guessing that must be it ...

I'll live with it for the nonce, and hope for the best ...

Thanks again,

e

The $64,000 question is which is better, a daphne odora with impeccable foliage and no flowers or one with tons of blooms and marginal foliage ? Of course, the $1,000,000 answer is one with both awesome foliage and loaded with blooms :-)

Just a thought, perhaps your soil might be a bit too acidic with all that mulch. Someone told me a long time ago when I planted mine to ring the dripline with 5/8" minus gravel so that each time I watered it, it would leach a bit of lime into the root system. He showed me several on the low side of a gravel parking lot that were extremely healthy. Mine now have impeccable foliage, although I don't have the bloom you do, hence the above question and answer segment :-)

I always notice Daphne odora self seeds in dry shade, right along with hardy Cyclamen and Aucuba. Maybe that's a clue as to where it's most happy.
I didn't know about the lime.

They have a couple of gorgeous specimens at Portland Ave Nursery in just that setting. I usually try to stop there along with Bellevue Botanical at least once or twice when they're in bloom. The ones at Portland should be blooming by next week, they were ready to pop when I was there this week. They have them growing against a north wall between the restrooms and the cedar furniture building.

>too much sun (not likely in this area!I see lots of these with poor leaf color in full sun here. Often the inner and lower foliage is greener, where the plant is shading itself. Another common thing is for one near a wall to be green by the wall and yellowish, with stubbier growth and smaller, rumpled leaves where it sticks out from behind the shadow of the wall.

Plant this daphne where it can get at least 3 hours of shade each day around midday. If possible, shade soil around roots with living ground cover. A soil pH of 7.0 is right for it (important in Zones 4-6*). Feed right after bloom with complete fertilizer but not acid plant food

--Sunset Western Garden Book

*Western WA and OR

I thought I read in the latest 2007 edition of Sunset Western Garden Book that the top roots of daphne odora should be exposed and not covered. Should one strip off all coverings from the base?

Like I said, the current edition. Anything where root rot is a concern you want the roots shaded. Water mold damage is associated with hot (and wet) soil conditions, that's why you can't grow too many rhododendrons (other than azaleas) in the deep South no matter how shady it is.

D'oh! Anyway, the above bit about shading the roots etc. is from the same 2007 edition.

I thought I read expose roots. Do not cover shallow roots on daphne odora. What the heck. I don't remember it right if you say so.