Hartlage Wine

I was headed out to take a peony picture, but this shrub caught my eye. The flower color was magnificent in the setting sunlight. This lovely bush, which has taken years to grow into a respectable size with generous flowers in our garden, is a cross between Calycanthus floridas (Carolina allspice) and Sinocalycanthus chinensis, a Chinese genus. An acquaintance of mine, Richard Hartlage, while a horticultural student at North Carolina State University, worked on the cross…and many years later, this beautiful cultivar was named in his honor: Hartlage Wine. Oh, and not only are these 3 to 4 inch wine red flowers an eye-catcher, they are fragrant as well!