Oriental Paper Bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha)

Oriental Paper Bush, Paperbush, Paperbush Plant

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Edgeworthia chrysantha produces highly fragrant flowers in late winter, thriving as a shade garden plant in moderate climates. Native to Asia, the paper bush, named for its bark, is a durable shrub often used to make paper goods, including banknotes, books, and wallpaper.

This deciduous shrub features showy blooms that last four to six weeks and emerge from equally beautiful silver flower buds. Paper bush is a sweet-smelling plant with minimal upkeep. The plant’s structure makes it suitable for hedges or as a feature plant with well-formed branches filling the shape. Ahead, discover how to grow and care for paper bush.

I. Appearance and Characteristics 

Edgeworthia chrysantha (common names: Oriental paperbush, mitsumata) is a plant in the family Thymelaeaceae. This species is native to Myanmar and south-central and southeast China. It is naturalized in Japan. It grows in forests and shrubby slopes.

The genus was named in honor of Michael Pakenham Edgeworth (1812–1881), an Irish-born Victorian era amateur botanist, who worked for the East India Company, and for his sister, writer Maria Edgeworth. The Latin specific epithet chrysantha is in reference to the plant’s yellow flowers.

Oriental Paper Bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha)
Edgeworthia chrysantha 01 清水五月 (Shimizusatsuki) CC BY-SA 3.0

Paperbush is truly an unusual shrub. If you start growing paperbush, you are in for a lovely ride. The shrub is deciduous, losing its leaves in winter. Even as paper bush leaves are yellowing in fall though, the plant develops large clusters of tubular buds. According to Edgeworthia information, the outside of the bud clusters are coated in white silky hairs. The buds hang on the bare branches all winter, then, in late winter or early spring, open into canary-colored flowers. 

The Edgeworthia paper bush flowers remain on the bush for three weeks. They exude a powerful perfume in the evening. Soon the long, slender leaves grow in, turning the shrub into a mound of attractive foliage that can grow to 6 feet (2 m.) in each direction. The leaves turn buttery yellow in autumn after the first frost. Interestingly, the shrub gets its name from the bark, which is used in Asia to make high-quality paper.

II. How to Grow and Care

Paper bush is suited to the Middle, Lower, and Coastal South (USDA Zones 7-9), although with protection, it might get by in the Upper South (USDA Zone 6). Give it light shade and moist, fertile, acidic, well-drained soil containing lots of organic material. It can tolerate more sun to provide more blooms if the plant gets enough water. Water regularly during summer and fall to keep the soil consistently moist, and water during summer droughts. It is cold-hardy to 5°F degrees. It has no serious pests, and pruning is seldom required, but do so to remove damaged or diseased branches.

Paper bush spreads by rhizomes but isn’t invasive and generally forms a dense, slowly expanding clump of long, pliable stems. Cuttings root easily in moist soil. The rapidly growing paper bush grows five to eight feet tall and wide, depending on the selection. Take cuttings to display indoors.

Sunlight

Oriental Paper Bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha)
Edgeworthia chrysantha 01 Σ64 CC BY 3.0

Paper bush works well in shade gardens. Keep its fragrant blooms nearby using the plant in a container on the porch or patio, facing south or west, to protect it from frost. It also works as a border plant, in mass plantings, or in woodland gardens. More sun exposure means showier blooms.

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.

Watering

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.

Soil

Oriental Paper Bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha)
Edgeworthia chrysantha peganum CC BY-SA 2.0

Plant the paper bush in an area protected from strong winds in rich, loamy, and well-draining soil. Before planting, use a spade to ensure the ground is moist. While the paper bush thrives in most pH environments, it is best in soil rich in organic materials. Paper bush plants grow well in containers or in garden beds with mixed shrubs or perennial plants.

Fertilizing

Paper bushes benefit from adding organic material to the surrounding soil yearly. Organic materials such as fully decomposed compost, straw, grass clippings, and shredded bark mulch help improve the ground. Add a layer of mulch surrounding the paper bush, but not touching the base, to help preserve moisture and protect the roots from harsh climates.

Pruning

Paper bush plants are low maintenance. Young shrubs don’t require any pruning except to remove dead or diseased foliage. As paper bush plants mature, the shrub produces plant suckers, an unintended branch, or new growth that adds more stress to the plant. Prune plant suckers away from the primary branch structure. Keeping paper bush plants healthy as they are established will help promote better results in the future. If pruning to adjust the plant’s shape or appearance, wait until after blooming to remove branches.

Summer isn’t a downtime for the paper bush. After it finishes blooming, it cloaks itself with very handsome foliage reminiscent of plumeria. Long, narrow, leathery, blue-green leaves up to 10 inches long give the shrub a tropical look.

Propagation

You may decide you would like a new paper bush plant in your garden or your friend would like one. The easiest way to propagate paper bush plants is by taking cuttings in the summer. Here’s how to propagate the paper bush plant:

  • Select woody and semi-ripe nodal stems to cut using pruning shears or a sharp knife. 
  • Remove leaves on the lower two-thirds of the stems.
  • Add cutting to a well-watered container filled with organically-rich soil. Gently pack the cuttings, ensuring the entire bottom of the selection is below the top of the soil. 
  • Place in indirect sunlight and new roots should emerge within weeks.

Here is how to grow paper bush plants from seeds:

  • Collect seeds from existing plants or garden centers and store them in a container within a sealed plastic bag. Keep seeds inside the container moist. 
  • Germination can occur over the spring, but sometimes seeds require more than 12 months of warm stratification. Start with eight to 12 weeks at 70°F. Germination still might need more time at varying temperatures.
  • After seedlings emerge, move plants to new containers or outside if planting in spring or early summer. Slowly introduce seedlings to colder temperatures before transplanting them outdoors. 
  • Paper bush plants do not like to transplant after establishment, so try to choose a location where they can thrive permanently.

Overwintering

Oriental Paper Bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha)
結香(打結花) Edgeworthia chrysantha [南京古林公園 Nanjing Gulin Park, China]” by 阿橋花譜 KHQ Flower Guide CC BY-SA 2.0

As a winter shrub, there is very little to do during the winter. Adding a layer of organic mulch can protect the plant’s roots and help retain moisture. Consider placing the plant along a south or west-facing wall to protect against frost and frigid winter winds. If you decide to plant your paper bush in a container, you will need to bring it inside if the temperature dips below 5°F degrees. The ground provides insulation that containers cannot.

Pests and Diseases

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

This easy-to-maintain shrub does not have many pest or disease issues. Occasionally, paper bush plants are susceptible to earwigs when the soil becomes too damp. Spray soap and water solution to get rid of the infestation. Other issues include root rot-related issues from using poorly draining soil. Leaf curl or drop occurs when plants are over-or-underwatered.

Common Problems

Curling Leaves 

Leaf curl occurs when paper bush plants are over-watered or under-watered. Amend soil with organic materials to help encourage proper water drainage. Water more frequently in the summer.

Leaves Turning Yellow

Yellowing leaves often signify a nutrient imbalance. Lack of nitrogen in the soil can cause leaves to turn yellow, then white, starting at the bottom of the plant and moving toward the top. Stems may appear more spindly if the problem persists. Another reason for yellowing leaves is insufficient airflow. Give plants enough space, and plant them in a manageable amount of space.

III. Uses and Benefits 

Oriental Paper Bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha)
Edgeworthia chrysantha peganum CC BY-SA 2.0

Edgeworthia plants work week in mass plantings, border plantings, foundation plantings, or in woodland gardens.

As it’s relatively heat-tolerant, the paperbush plant also works well in shade gardens in temperate climates.

Edgeworthia is also fragrant, so placing this plant near patios, porches, windows, decks, and other outdoor living areas will allow you to enjoy its fragrance.

You can also grow it easily in containers and garden beds mixed with woody ornamental shrubs and perennial plants.

In addition, the fibers of this plant’s bark are used for making a special handcrafted Japanese tissue or mitsumata, a high-quality paper.

In addition, the bark’s fibers are also employed for creating a conventional Japanese paper called “washi.”

The leaves and flowers are removed from the stems and steamed to soften the fibers. The fibers are heated for almost two hours with soda ash and mixed with mallets. And then, the tissue paper turns out to be white.

Moreover, the roots of the plants are used as a treatment for eye diseases.

Oriental Paper Bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) Details

Common name

Oriental Paper Bush, Paperbush, Paperbush Plant

Botanical name

Edgeworthia chrysantha

Family

Thymelaeaceae

Species

chrysantha

Origin

China and the Himalayas

Life cycle

Plant type

Hardiness zone

, , ,

Sunlight

Maintenance

Soil condition

Soil ph

Drainage

Growth rate

Spacing

3 ft. – 6 ft.

Flowering period

Height

4 ft. – 6 ft.

Width

4 ft. – 6 ft.

Flower color

,

Leaf color

Stem color

Brown, Copper

Fruit type

Flower benefit

Garden style

Uses

Dimensions
Dimensions 63630675053 × 63630675017 cm
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