Meet the Fragrant Tea Olive
Fragrant Tea Olive | Osmanthus fragrans
How do you know it’s me?:
I am a large woody shrub or small tree. I grow in an upright form.
My small white or orange flowers grow in clumps around my stems. Each individual flower has 4-5 petals and a classic flower shape. You will likely smell me before you see me, as I am incredibly fragrant.
My evergreen leaves have a thick, leathery texture and pointed oval shape. They are opposite and have a smooth and glossy finish. They can be finely toothed along the edges. I can easily be confused with Holly, which as alternate leaves.
I have smooth, light gray bark.
My winter berries are blue-black, and grow in drupes.
How big do I grow?: 10’ - 20’ height and 10’ - 14’ spread (though I am often heavily pruned, and do not reach this full size).
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun to part shade. Afternoon shade in hot southern climates.
Where I prefer to put my roots: Well-drained, medium to dry soils. I am tolerant of clay soils and drought.
Hardiness: Zone 8-11. I can grow in zone 7 with some winter protection.
Original home: I am native to China, Japan, and southeast Asia.
Colors: White or orange flowers.
When I bloom: My fragrant flowers appear in early spring and again in fall.
Wildlife friends: Pollinators will visit my blooms.
Flora Fun Facts: The flowers are added to teas and other beverages in Asia. The fragrant flower extract is very valuable and used in perfumes.
More Info: The sweet, fruity scent of the Osmanthus hangs on the fall air. Some plants may not produce many blooms…but it only takes a few of these tiny flowers to generate powerful waves of apricot-scented aromas.
A member of the Oleaceae family (Olive).
Also goes by the names “Sweet Olive,” and “Sweet Osmanthus.”
This plant responds well to pruning and can be shaped like a topiary. Keep in mind that this plant blooms on old growth, so the next season’s blooms could be reduced after pruning.
The white flowered variety is fragrans, while the orange flowered variety is var. aurantiacus. Some of the cultivars available on the market are a hybrid between the two.
Could be planted as a hedge or screening plant, near pathways or odorous landscape elements (where the scent can help mask unpleasant smells), in a shady landscape bed, or in an open green space.
