Winter sweet, Japanese allspice, Ice flower
Chimonanthus praecox

Family: Calycanthaceae

What it is like

A deciduous shrub. It grows 3-3.7 m tall and spreads 2.5-3 m wide. The stems are thick and angular. The leaves are sword shaped and 20 cm long. The leaves are glossy and mid green. They have a rough surface. They turn pale yellow in autumn. The flowers are dull pale yellow and almost without stalks. There is a small maroon inner section. They have a sweet scent. The fruit are yellow-brown when ripe.

There are 6 Chimonanthus species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. Plants are frost hardy. It suits hardiness zones 6-10. Melbourne Botanical gardens. Geelong Botanical Gardens. In Sichuan and Yunnan. Arboretum Tasmania.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China (country/location of origin), Indonesia, Japan, SE Asia, Slovenia, Tasmania

How it is used for food

The flowers are thoroughly boiled, washed and eaten with oil and salt. The flower petals are used to flavour and scent tea.

Edible parts

Flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or by layering the stems.

It may take 3 years before flowering.

Its other names

Local names

Bunga salju, Kara-ume, Lamei, Si salju manis, Twelfth-month tree, Zgodnji zimski cvet

Synonyms

Chimonanthus fragrans Lindl.; Calycanthus praecox L.; Meratia praecox Rehd. & Wils.;