Plant Min Zone: 5a
Plant Max Zone: 9b
Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun, Shade, Deep Shade
Water / Rainfall: Average
Soil Quality: Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Fall
Flower Color: Red, Reddish Purple
Berry / Fruit Color: None
Spring Foliage Color: Green
Summer Foliage Color: Green
Fall Foliage Color: Yellow, Gold
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: No
Scented Flowers: Yes
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low, Medium
Humidity Tolerance: High
Wind Tolerance: Low, Medium
Poor Soil Tolerance: Clay Soils, Rocky Soils, Sandy Soils, Alkaline Soils (high PH)
Height: 4' - 6'
Width: 4' - 6'
Growth Rate: Fast
Service Life: Very Long: 10-20 years
Maintenance Need: Low
Spreading Potential: Medium
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Shrub to Desired Size in Late Spring or Summer: Blooms on Old Wood. Some Re-bloom on New Wood.
Plant Grouping Size: Specimen Planting of 1-3, Small Grouping of 3-5
Best Side of House: South Exposure, East Exposure, North Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Base of Retaining Wall Locations
Ornamental Features: Long Blooming Season, Multiple Seasons of Interest, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: None
Possible Pest Problems: None
Plant Limitations: None
Aphrodite Sweetshrub (Calycanthus x 'Aphrodite') is covered in big, glossy, medium-green leaves. This shrub explodes with enormous cupped flowers that look a bit like a deep red magnolia. They start in early summer with a big flush of flowers continuing to bloom sporadically all summer long. This is a quite large shrub that needs plenty of space to look its best, but if you have the room for it, there are few better ways to use it! 'Aphrodite' is a hybrid between our native Calycanthus and the Asian species, x Sinocalycanthus. You're probably wondering if it's fragrant, and the answer is - it depends. The scent varies based on the age of the bloom, the time of day, and the flower itself. Some people say they smell like pineapple, others apples, others bubblegum, and some get no scent at all. Even if you never sense a whiff off this plant, its fabulous flowers are more than enough reward. Prune after flowering to maintain shape. This Calycanthus performs amazingly well in eastern Kansas landscapes. It is great along a woodland edge or in morning sun. When planted in full shade with rich soil in our Lawrence, KS Zone 6a display garden, growth is very rapid and flowers completely cover the shrub for a few weeks in early summer. Yes, you heard right, this shrub is will flower in full shade. It tolerates a wide variety of soil types including clay but needs prefers well-drained soil high in organic matter. Adaptable to mild drought and heat (plant in full shade in southern zones) but greatly improved with rich, moisture-retentive soils. Typically, our 40 inches of rainfall per year in Eastern Kansas is sufficient. Summer foliage is virtually pest-free. All Proven Winners® plants are legally propagated, healthy and vigorous, true to name, and tagged with color pictures and growing information.