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Key characteristics

Family: Thymelaeaceae
Height: 4 to 6 feet
Width: 4 to 6 feet
Flower color: Orange
Foliage color: Medium green
Bloom time: Late winter to early spring
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Water: Regular watering, especially during dry spells
Maintenance: Minimal pruning after flowering
Growing zone: 7 to 10
Wildlife: Attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies

Shrubs

Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Akebono’

Chinese Paper Bush

Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Akebono', commonly known as the Chinese Paper Bush, is a cultivar prized for its fragrant, spherical clusters of orange flowers that bloom in late winter to early spring, providing a welcome burst of color and scent when much of the garden is still dormant. This shrub typically reaches a height and width of 4 to 6 feet, forming a rounded, dense shape with narrow, elongated, medium green foliage that contrasts nicely with the bright flowers.

Light

Partial shade to full sun

Water

Regular watering, especially during dry spells

Bloom time

Late winter to early spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Shade Gardens
Fragrant Gardens
Winter Interest
Woodland Gardens

Companion plants

Fatsia · Skimmia · Tiarella · Camellia · Trillium · Lily-of-the-valley

Design tip

Warm orange flowers make ‘Akebono’ particularly effective in winter gardens dominated by cool greens and bare branches. A backdrop of deep evergreen foliage intensifies the unusual flower color, while its peeling bark continues to contribute texture before and after the fragrant blooms appear.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)