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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', 'Butter Yellow', 'Conger yellow', 'Fudingzhu', 'Hangzhouhuang', 'Thunbergii', var. aurantiacus
Tags:
#evergreen#small tree#fragrant flowers#houseplant#drought tolerant#specimen#white flowers#edible flowers#salt tolerant#interiorscape#fall interest#espalier#year-round interest#buffer#large shrub#deer resistant#glossy leaves#children's garden#playground plant#screening#courtyard garden#leathery leaves#evergreen shrub#flowers early spring#evergreen tree#sensory garden#border back#walkway planting#clay soils tolerant#flowers early fall#mccarthy memorial garden#lawn planting#container plant#patio#hedge#tea#th-smell#accent#cpp
 
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', 'Butter Yellow', 'Conger yellow', 'Fudingzhu', 'Hangzhouhuang', 'Thunbergii', var. aurantiacus
Tags:
#evergreen#small tree#fragrant flowers#houseplant#drought tolerant#specimen#white flowers#edible flowers#salt tolerant#interiorscape#fall interest#espalier#year-round interest#buffer#large shrub#deer resistant#glossy leaves#children's garden#playground plant#screening#courtyard garden#leathery leaves#evergreen shrub#flowers early spring#evergreen tree#sensory garden#border back#walkway planting#clay soils tolerant#flowers early fall#mccarthy memorial garden#lawn planting#container plant#patio#hedge#tea#th-smell#accent#cpp
  • 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