This is an evergreen shrub with yellow edged leaves. Odora means fragrant and the perfume from the small pink flowers of this plant is outstanding. The Korean name for the plant translates into ‘a thousand-mile scent’ and I’m certainly aware when the shrub is in flower as the perfume hits me as I walk up the garden path. When the plant isn’t in flower, I love the variegation on the leaves. When I was choosing shrubs for my front garden, this was a must have and it has pride of place by the front door.
It is the only plant in my garden that I am nervous about when it comes to pruning, as my mum pruned the one that she had in her garden and within a year the plant had died. I have only pruned the one I have in the back garden where it overhangs the lawn.
Whenever this shrub is in flower, I’m reminded of my parents as my mum used to pick a sprig of the flowers for my dad when he was received chemo and radiotherapy.