The correct answer is Calycanthus x "Aphrodite"

Unlike so many other plants we have featured Calycanthus x "Aphrodite" was no accident or sport found growing in the field. Back in the 90’s our native sweet shrub was crossed with it’s Chinese counter part to produce a beautifully flowering  Sweetshrub called Hartlage wine. The flower was a magnificent red, but it lacked the fragrance of our native sweetshrub.

The folks at N.C. State went back to the drawing board and crossed the original parents of Hartlage Wine with our western Calycanthus (highly fragrant) to produce Calycanthus Aphrodite. We chose this plant simply because we were walking through the nursery and the flower grabbed us. The 4” cupped waxy flower blooms late June into July and is a magnificent wine color with a sweet apple fragrance. Aphrodite is a repeat bloomer which makes it more valuable to the landscape. This sweetshrub is no miniature, it will reach a height of 8’ with an almost  comparable spread. It prefers full sun, but will tolerate some light shade. Calycanthus will tolerate moist soils more so than many other shrubs. It is unique and worthy of a place in the landscape.