Daphne mezereum L.

Possibly Native

Mezereon is a deciduous shrub of calcareous woodland, often on steep, sometimes rocky, slopes with little ground cover, but rarely in deep shade. It also grows in chalk-pits, and in wet, species-rich fens. It reproduces by seed and is self-fertile.

It was not recorded in the wild until 1752 (Pearman, 2017). It has been cultivated for centuries and escapes are common, so its native range is somewhat uncertain. Native populations have suffered from habitat loss and uprooting, but it is common in gardens, is frequently bird-sown, and is increasing as an alien (A. J. Richards in Preston et al, 2002).

In Norfolk, Mezereon has only been re-recorded since 2000 in two of the localities where it was recorded between 1988 and 1998. It was also recently re-found at Holt Lowes but in a different part of the site to an earlier record.