Average lifespan is 10 - 12 years, we had this question in 2010 and I seem to remember a couple of members saying they knew of individual daphne's that were older but this is the average. So they are a short lived perennial, best to take cuttings every year.

First hello and welcome to Goy Shantell

I used to have 2 but tried to move 1 as only front of shrub was growing and always in full bloom .

I want it to grow all round ,sadly it did not like being moved and it died .

But the I have another one and it must be near 19yrs old It was very small when I got it .

And its now in full bud and delights me with blooms and perfume

A must have if you do loose it buy another.

And yes easy to take cuttings.

I would love to know how successful you are with cuttings. I have been taking cuttings of various Daphne for years, with very limited success. Certainly the evergreen ones do not root easily without bottom heat. Talking to a nurseryman who sells lots of different types, he said the same when I asked about taking a branch of a variant form to him for propagation. He said that even drying out for the length of time from me to him would be enough to stop it from rooting.
We have found that the best way to produce new plants is from seed or if you are very lucky, some types do produce suckers which can be detached from the parent with roots.
As far as I am aware all Daphne hate root disturbance so it is one of those plants which should be planted small and in the right place first time.

I've found ten years is about the average lifespan of most daphnes, although there a couple that have been with me for longer (D. tangutica and D. x burkwoodii 'Somerset' which were planted in 1999)

It is Bulba who takes the cuttings OwdB, we also grow from seed.

Even though most varieties are supposed to be evergreen, it is not unusual for them to defoliate in the winter. Be vigilant as it might start to sprout again. Small plants don't seem to do well when they become too wet. They are also expensive because they are difficult to propagate and many plants are now grown in places like Holland by mico-propagation under laboratory conditions.

Often wondered why daphne, and especially the mezereum type were so expensive ... now I know. Thank you for posting this question Shantell! To save all the hassle with cuttings and time (they are slow growing) just replace with a new one. Though suggest you dig out all the old compost, check for grubs from vine weevil, and replant in new rose/tree compost. Depending on the daphne you buy you may require a more acid based compost, ie fully ericaceous.

Actually Daphne mezereum is probably one of the easiest daphnes to grow, albeit being slow growing. Provided that the blackbirds don't pinch all the seed just let them fall onto the soil and then just pot-up the resultant seedlings a couple of years later. If you find a seedling growing remote from the parent shrub, thanks to bb, and it is somewhere where you would want it to grow then just leave it alone. They seem to grow more quickly when left undisturbed.
When collecting seed for a seed exchange I used to let the seeds fall to the soil and wait for the slugs to eat the flesh off them. All I had to do then was to go round and pick up the clean seeds!

Blimey - slugs doing something useful for once!