Tea Olive Osmanthus fragrans
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- oz-MAN-thus FRAY-granz
- Description
-
Fragrant tea olive is a broadleaf, evergreen shrub with a dense habit in the olive family (Oleaceae). It is native to China, Japan and Southeast Asia. This plant has small but extremely fragrant flowers that appear in the spring and sporadically in the fall. The genus name comes from the Greek words for fragrant (osme) and flower (anthos). The species epithet means “fragrant.”
Plant this shrub in full sun to partial shade and in moist soils with good drainage. In southern climates, afternoon shade is a must. Heavy clay soils are tolerated. Once established this plant is drought tolerant, but be sure to supply supplemental watering in hot dry months. It responds well to pruning for shape and can be pruned into a tree or an espalier. When pruning, keep in mind that next season's blossoms will appear on old (this year’s) growth. Pruning can diminish next year’s floral display. In cooler climates, this plant can be grown in containers and overwintered indoors or as a houseplant.
Several cultivars are available of both the white-flowered variety (var. fragrans) and the orange-flowered variety (var. aurantiacus), as well as hybrids between the two. Fragrant tee olive is one of the parents of Fortune’s osmanthus (Osmanthus x fortunei), but Fortune’s osmanthus has numerous, evenly spaced spines on its leaves, a feature inherited from its other parent, false holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus).
Plant it as a large specimen for open or lawn areas, use it as a screen or hedge plant, or place it at the back of a perennial border. It works well in Asian, formal, or cottage gardens. Placing it near pathways, patios, or entrances ensures you can enjoy the delightful fragrance. The dried flowers are added to black tea to impart a delicate fragrance, so this plant has a place in edible gardens.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for aphids and scale. It is frost-sensitive, and injury will affect flowering the following fall.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Plant Walls and Hedges
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Apricot Gold'
Apricot-colored flowers. - 'Butter Yellow'
Pale golden yellow flowers. - 'Conger yellow'
- 'Fudingzhu'
- 'Hangzhouhuang'
- 'Thunbergii'
- var. aurantiacus
Pale orange flowers. Not as floriferous as var. fragrans.
- 'Apricot Gold'
- 'Apricot Gold', 'Butter Yellow', 'Conger yellow', 'Fudingzhu', 'Hangzhouhuang', 'Thunbergii', var. aurantiacus
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Apricot Gold'
Apricot-colored flowers. - 'Butter Yellow'
Pale golden yellow flowers. - 'Conger yellow'
- 'Fudingzhu'
- 'Hangzhouhuang'
- 'Thunbergii'
- var. aurantiacus
Pale orange flowers. Not as floriferous as var. fragrans.
- 'Apricot Gold'
- 'Apricot Gold', 'Butter Yellow', 'Conger yellow', 'Fudingzhu', 'Hangzhouhuang', 'Thunbergii', var. aurantiacus
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Osmanthus
- Species:
- fragrans
- Family:
- Oleaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The flowers of this plant are used in teas and other beverages that are consumed in the Far East. Extracts from the flower are highly valuable, and are used in some of the most expensive perfumes.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East Asia
- Play Value:
- Buffer
- Fragrance
- Screening
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer resistant, drought tolerant, and slightly salt tolerant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 14 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Very fragrant smell like apricots, small white flowers in early spring and some in the fall appear in leaf axils. The flowers can be dried and added to tea.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Opposite, simple, leathery, lustrous, dark green leaves; 2-5 in. long; finely dentate or entire
-
-
Bark:
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Lawn
- Patio
- Recreational Play Area
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Edible Garden
- Garden for the Blind
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Small Tree
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Salt