Edgeworthia Chrysantha “Paperbush” Plant Care

_{Do you want a star in your winter garden? Then, having the Edgeworthia chrysantha is the perfect solution.}

Edgeworthia chrysantha is more than a star. It is a ray of sunshine with tiny tubular flowers in yellow. The plant brightens up any dull yard in the cold season. Another great thing about the bright yellow flowers it has a sweet fragrance filling the air.

What is Edgeworthia?

The paperbush Edgeworthia is also referred to as the oriental paperbush plant or Chinese paper bush and it has a similar fragrance as the Daphne.

When not blooming, it has long green yet lush tropical-looking foliage. It displays a yellow color during fall, and once the branches become bare, it has silvery flower buds looking like tiny mouse toes.

This flowering plant spreads throughout the woodlands in the Himalayas and China. The best part is it is cultivated in Japan and is located on their banknotes. The name comes from an English botanist Michael Pakenham Edgeworth, an East India Company’s employer during the 19th century.

Oriental Paperbush Plant Care

Now that you have learned a bit about the history of this paperbush, let us start taking care of it. Another noteworthy thing about this plant is that people use it to make high-quality paper.

Even the bark has medicinal purposes with its anti-inflammatory properties. Finally, people use it to treat eye diseases.

_{The Best Soil For Paper Bush}

The paperbush thrives in acidic and well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. The important thing is that the ground remains moist for the bush to thrive.

You can add dried-up leaves or banana peels to the sandy, clay, or loamy soil. Doing this helps to retain moisture.

_{Lighting Conditions for the Flower Buds}

The Chinese paper bush thrives in dappled shade gardens. But for flower buds to develop optimally, it does need a bit of full sun. So, treat them as an outdoor plant during summer and spring. The best place is to grow it at a south or west-facing wall as the blooms are sensitive to frost.

_{Watering and Feeding Needs}

It would be best if you keep your paperbush moist from early spring to summer, but you can refrain from watering in winter. So if it is scorching, your Edgeworthia chrysantha gets thirsty and may need plenty of watering.

Your plant wouldn’t need feeding, especially if you have added organic elements to the ground. You can nourish your plant instead every year with some organic matter or compost.

_{Temperature and Humidity} 

Your shrub can tolerate high temperatures during the warmer season. But when winter arrives, it helps to keep the branch tips protected from fros even if it grows in the Himalayas.

It is best to treat them as an indoor plant during the winter. While the plant needs less watering in winter, the most injury caused is the woody stems drying out from not watering. You may add a mulch to help prevent water loss throughout the year.

_Propagation

Using propagation is one of the best methods to ensure your tropical-looking plant is always standing in your garden. You can do this with stem cuttings during summer.

Only take short cuttings from your mature plant where new growth takes place. You can do this by stripping off the lower leaves.

Then, place the cuttings in a moist potting mix for up to six weeks until it roots and transplants them to the spot where you want them to grow.

_{USDA Growth Zone}

The preferred USDA hardiness zones for your Chinese paperbush are 7a to 10b. You can grow the species in zone 7 throu gh 9, but it needs sheltering with winter protection.

_{Potting and Pruning}

In most cases, you plant the foliage outdoors by digging a hole or bed wide but not too deep. You can amend the clay or sand with organic matter when you plant your Edgeworthia chrysantha and keep the root ball intact.

You can loosen the potting mix around the bottom of the roots and grow level with the surrounding ground by spreading the bulbs outwards. Next, you fill the surrounding areas of the bulbs with some soil and water it allowing the soil to settle around the roots.

While pruning is not a must, you can control the size of the bush for pedestrian safety. In addition, you can remove diseased or dead plant parts, or you can train the plant into a shape.

You can prune your Oriental paperbush from late winter to spring, depending on when the plant blooms.

Edgeworthia chrysantha vs. Edgeworthis papyrifera

While many botanists say there is not a difference between these species, we believe there is. When you look at the Edgeworthia chrysantha, it seems more prominent in appearance with its shape and has dense flower clusters. Still, the branches are thicker to hold the flowers upright without drooping.

Now, looking at the Edgeworthia papyrifera, it has a slender shape from the branches to the flowers. You have tubular flowers with longer tubes that pale faster. The leaves are slim, while the stems are thinner, resulting in a draping effect.

Another species of the paperbush is the Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Akebono,’ also known as the red dragon. The flower clusters vary from orange to red shade compared to the other Oriental paperbush with a yellowish tint.

Oriental Paperbush Diseases & Pests

The only problem you might find is not watering your plant. The other culprit known to infect your shrub is earwigs. They can produce a foul odour and nibble on the leaves. So how do you get rid of them? You can do the following:

• Place one foot of bamboo between the foliage and use them as traps to check in the morning. If you find earwigs, dump them in a bucket with soapy water.
• Or you can place some petroleum jelly around the stem of your bush.
• Alternatively, you can use alcohol to spray on them as it penetrates the waxy coat to kill them.
• Lastly, the insect does not like diatomaceous earth, and you can place a ring of it around the shrub in warm weather.