Osmanthus

Family. Oleaceae.

Origin. Asia, North America.

What does osmanthus look like? These are small, evergreen, spreading trees or shrubs. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate or elliptic, arranged oppositely, on short petioles, green, up to 7 cm long, glossy, leathery. The leaf blades have finely toothed or smooth edges. The flowers are small - up to 1 cm in diameter, with a very long floral tube, collected in large inflorescences - panicles. 

Why is the plant called fragrant and what does osmanthus smell like? Most often there are plants with a characteristic fruity aroma; for example, the branches of some species have a very pleasant and rather strong aroma of apricot. Flower colors vary from white to orange and reddish. The fruits are small, oblong, up to 1.5 cm long, and when ripe they become dark blue or purple.

Height. Under natural conditions it can grow up to 2 - 3 m in height; in culture, the height can be adjusted by pruning.

Home care

Reproduction, growing from seeds 

Propagated by semi-mature stem cuttings 8-10 cm long, in spring and summer. The lower pair of leaves are removed from the cuttings, and the bases are sprinkled with rooting powders, then immersed in a mixture of wet peat and sand. Young seedlings are covered with glass or a plastic bag to maintain uniform humidity. Rooting occurs within 6-8 weeks. Osmanthus can also be grown from seeds sown in spring, but it takes a long time to get an adult bush.

Flowering time

Osmanthus very rarely blooms indoors. Flowers can appear at any time from spring to autumn, depending on the species and conditions. 

Growing conditions - temperature

In spring and summer, during the growing season, normal room temperature will do. In winter, the bush goes into a dormant period and is kept in a cool place - about 5 - 10 °C.

Soil 

Representatives of this species tolerate even nutrient-poor soils when kept indoors and adapt well to most types of soil with good drainage. Substrates with a slightly acidic pH are preferred.

Lighting

It is advisable to provide osmanthus with direct sunlight in the morning and evening for 3 to 4 hours daily. Tolerates partial shade.

How to care

An easy plant, great for beginners. It grows slowly and tolerates a wide range of conditions. Trim off any overly long or weak shoots in the spring. Regularly pinch the tips of young shoots so that the plant branches abundantly and is thicker. In the summer, the bush can be taken outside.

Fertilizer

Feed twice a month with water-soluble fertilizers during the period of active growth.

Watering 

Young seedlings require regular watering. Adult specimens are watered moderately, even during the growth period. The soil should dry out to 2/3 of the depth between waterings. During the dormant period, development slows down, so just do not allow the soil lump to dry out.

Transplanting

Osmanthus thrives in slightly cramped conditions, so it is not always worth changing the size of the pot when replanting. Transplantation is carried out in the spring, with the beginning of new growth. For large tub plants, the top layer of soil 5-6 cm thick is replaced annually with fresh one.

Diseases and pests

With insufficient air movement and intensive watering, various fungal diseases may appear.

Aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, nematodes.

Spraying 

Spray periodically if the temperature is high enough or the air in the room becomes too dry. 

Purpose

Flowers are used to make aromatic, often green, tea, and are also widely used in Chinese medicine. Essential oil is obtained from flowers and leaves, which is used in perfumery and cosmetics, for example, in the production of expensive perfumes and shower gels.

Note

Osmanthus can live for a very long time indoors.

Osmanthus varieties:

Osmanthus heterophyllus

Dense evergreen shrub with hard, dark green, glossy leaves, slightly bent along the central vein. The plant got its name because the young leaves differ in shape from the adults - they have large teeth along the edge of the leaf blade, reminiscent of maple leaves. The number of teeth on the leaves of even one plant varies. There are very beautiful variegated osmanthuses of this subspecies, the leaves of which are colored dark green and have a wide white stripe along the edge. The flowers are white, collected in small inflorescences, male and female flowers are on different specimens. 

One of the most variegated plant variations can be considered variegated Osmanthus "tricolor" is a spectacular plant with green leaves with small yellowish specks on the surface. The youngest leaves on the tops of the shoots are colored bronze or burgundy in these shrubs. 

Osmanthus fortunei

A plant with glossy, simple, dark green leaves that contrast well with the snow-white, fragrant flowers. The shrub was bred from a mixture of osmanthus varifolia and fragrant.