Osmanthus x fortunei
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- oz-MAN-thus for-TOO-nay
- Description
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Osmanthus x fortunei is a hybrid of O. fragrans and O. heterophyllus. It is a dense, oval-rounded evergreen shrub that grows up to 20-25' tall. This plant blooms in the late fall and has inconspicuous flowers that have a pungently sweet aroma. Leaves in the upper part of the plant (adult morphology leaves) are entire, while those in the lower part of the plant tend to be toothed (juvenile morphology). This plant is frequently utilized in hedges, foundations, screens, as a specimen plant, or pruned into a small tree. This plant prefers full sun and moist, well-drained, acidic soil. It is tolerant of alkaline soils, pollution, and part-shade. It has a slow growth rate and no serious pest or disease problems.
Quick ID Hint:
- Large evergreen shrub or small tree
- Opposite leaves, both toothed and entire
- Decussate leaf arrangement on lenticeled stems
- Juvenile leaf is regularly spine-tipped, triangular teeth
- Inconspicuous white, fall blooms, highly aromatic
VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I: Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II: Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Root Sculpture
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Fruitlandii
- Fruitlandii
- Fruitlandii
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Fruitlandii
- Fruitlandii
- Fruitlandii
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Osmanthus
- Family:
- Oleaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Play Value:
- Buffer
- Fragrance
- Screening
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer resistant, drought tolerant, and slightly salt tolerant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Columnar
- Dense
- Erect
- Mounding
- Oval
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Texture:
- Medium
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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 pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a, 10b, 10a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Purple/Lavender
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are an ovoid bluish purple-black to black drupes that are less than 1/2" in size and are seldom seen in cultivation.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are white, 4-lobed, fragrant, less than an inch in diameter, and have 2 yellow stamens. Flowers are fragrant and bloom in the fall.
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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 Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are opposite, decussate, simple, leathery, lustrous, coriaceous, oval to broadly elliptic, acuminate, and have 9-12 marginal, triangular teeth on each side with a small spine or entire (on mature adult leaves). Leaves are dark green above and paler beneath. They are glabrous, 2-4" long and 1.5-2' wide.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- Some branches are gray.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems are squarish, gray, and have numerous brown lenticels
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Small Tree
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Salt
