Bastard Daphne Plant Care

Bastard Daphne (Thymelaea passerina) belongs to the Thymelaeaceae family within the Thymelaea genus. Bastard Daphne is native to central and southern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, the western Himalayas, and Xinjiang in China, and it has been introduced to central North America, and to South Australia. Bastard Daphne is also known as Flax-leaved Thymelaea.

Bastard Daphne displays a compact, spreading shrub growth habit, reaching up to 3 ft tall with a spread of approximately 4 ft. Bastard Daphne produces small, fragrant yellow blooms in clusters.

Leaf size: approximately 2 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Bastard Daphne every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Bastard Daphne thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Thymelaea passerina tolerates temperatures of 50–80°F. Bastard Daphne prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining sandy soil with good aeration. Good drainage is essential for Bastard Daphne to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Bastard Daphne every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy soil with good aeration. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Bastard Daphne is suited to USDA Zone 4a – 9b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Bastard Daphne can spread to about 4 ft (1.2 m) and reach about 3 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 4 ft (1.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Bastard Daphne while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Bastard Daphne is hardy down to USDA zone 4a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Bastard Daphne can be propagated through seeds, semi-hardwood cuttings.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Bastard Daphne is susceptible to aphids, scale insects. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Bastard Daphne grows outdoors in USDA Zone 4a – 9b. It survives winters down to planting zone 4a. Bastard Daphne is native to central and southern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, the western Himalayas, and Xinjiang in China, and it has been introduced to central North America, and to South Australia.