I am trying to find out something about this shrub and whether anyone has grown it or knows anything about it.
In its own family Daphniphyllaceae. Evergreen shrub or small tree up to 15m tall, native to China, Japan and Korea; hardy to about -20°C (so hardy to zone 8, very marginal in zone 7, given variation from the average winter lows the hardiness zones are based on). BPotD pic: http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd/2005/11/daphniphyllum_macropodum.php Draft Flora of China: http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/mss/volume11/Daphniphyllaceae-MO_reviewing.htm
Actually, there are many here in New Jersey and Pennsylvania that are growing the plant. There is one known plant that is growing in Northern NJ (Zone 6a/5b) as detailed by Fairweather Gardens and as described (...grown on a windswept hill with little to no protection). The Scott Arboretum just outside of Philadelphia is also growing Daphniphyllum macropodum as well as the smaller Daphniphyllum humile. I am growing this in my garden here in Trenton, NJ and it has made it through the past two winters with no problem. I am in a microclimate due to the heat island created by the city, but we have had temperatures down in the single digits F and it had shown no damage. It is a nice shrub to have as it does not lose any of it characteristics from summer through the winter. The leaves remain a bright green and provide a nice contrast. Check out this podcast from the Scott Arboretum for a better description and some tips based off of their upcoming plant sale http://www.scottarboretum.org/special/podcasting.html
