Osmanthus fragrans: 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.
Plant Profile: Osmanthus fragrans
Taxonomy: Osmanthus fragransNames
Fragrant Tea Olive, Sweet Osmanthus, Tea Olive
Phonetic Spelling:oz-MAN-thus FRAY-granz
Genus:Osmanthus
Species:fragrans
Family:Oleaceae
This osmanthus variety is the least tolerant of cold temperatures and produces highly fragrant blooms in the autumn. It has a compact growth habit and benefits from pruning to maintain its shape, making it an impressive choice for spacious landscapes.
However, it is susceptible to frost, and any damage sustained can impact its flowering in the subsequent fall season.
Osmanthus fragrans Feature Summary
Osmanthus fragrans Image Gallery
Tags
#fragrant
#evergreen
#fragrant flowers
#drought tolerant
#salt tolerant
#fall interest
#playground
#buffer
#deer resistant
#children's garden
#screening
#mccarthy memorial garden
Similar Plants
Osmanthus fragrans is often confused with:
Osmanthus fragrans Feature Summary
Attributes
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.
Deer resistant, drought tolerant, and slightly salt tolerant.
Woody
Fragrance
Buffer
Screening
Flowers
Very fragrant, small white flowers in fall; some flowers in early spring
White
Fragrant
Spring
Fall
4-5 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
Opposite, simple, leathery, lustrous, dark green leaves; 2-5 in. long; finely dentate or entire
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Simple
Opposite
Entire
Dentate
3-6 inches
Leathery
Long-lasting
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Broadleaf Evergreen
Multi-stemmed
Rounded
Erect
Dense
Medium
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
6-feet-12 feet
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Fruit
Stem
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Children's Garden
Specimen
Drought
Deer
Salt
Recreational Play Area
Bark
Smooth
Osmanthus fragrans Image Gallery
Osmanthus fragrans Attributes
Osmanthus fragrans: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
Deer resistant, drought tolerant, and slightly salt tolerant.
Osmanthus fragrans: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Osmanthus fragrans: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Osmanthus fragrans Flowers
Osmanthus fragrans: Flower Description
Very fragrant, small white flowers in fall; some flowers in early spring
Osmanthus fragrans: Flower Color
White
Osmanthus fragrans: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Osmanthus fragrans: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Osmanthus fragrans: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Osmanthus fragrans: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Osmanthus fragrans Leaves
Osmanthus fragrans: Leaf Description
Opposite, simple, leathery, lustrous, dark green leaves; 2-5 in. long; finely dentate or entire
Osmanthus fragrans: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Osmanthus fragrans: Leaf Color
Green
Osmanthus fragrans: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Osmanthus fragrans: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Osmanthus fragrans: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Osmanthus fragrans: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Osmanthus fragrans: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Osmanthus fragrans: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Osmanthus fragrans: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Osmanthus fragrans: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Osmanthus fragrans Whole Plant Traits
Osmanthus fragrans: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Osmanthus fragrans: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Osmanthus fragrans: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Osmanthus fragrans: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Osmanthus fragrans: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Osmanthus fragrans Cultural Conditions
Osmanthus fragrans: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Osmanthus fragrans: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Osmanthus fragrans: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Osmanthus fragrans: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Osmanthus fragrans Fruit
Osmanthus fragrans: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Osmanthus fragrans: Fruit Color
Black
Blue
Osmanthus fragrans: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Osmanthus fragrans Stem
Osmanthus fragrans: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Osmanthus fragrans Landscape
Osmanthus fragrans: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Osmanthus fragrans: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Osmanthus fragrans: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Osmanthus fragrans: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Osmanthus fragrans Bark
Osmanthus fragrans: Surface/Attachment
Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy
