Osmanthus fragrans

The Osmanthus fragrans, better known as the fragrant osmanthus, is an evergreen bush of beautiful stature that blooms from late spring to autumn, in successive waves. Its small, very pale yellow flowers exude a sweet fragrance that diffuses several meters in the garden; it is a floral fragrance with fruity accents highly sought after by perfumers. With its appearance of a small tree with a wide and rounded crown, its beautiful dark green and shiny foliage throughout the year, and its wonderful flowering, it lacks neither character nor charm. In the garden, this bush proves to be not very demanding in terms of soil, as long as it is deep and well-drained. Its only drawback is its relative hardiness, which reserves it for cultivation in open ground in regions where the winter is mild.

The Osmanthus fragrans, also known as Chinese olive, fragrant olive or tea olive, is a very beautiful bush or small tree native to the high-altitude forests of warm temperate regions in China, Japan, and Vietnam. It is a species that prefers a rather mild climate; a well-established subject (after 3 or 4 years of cultivation) will be able to survive short frosts of around -6 to -8°C, in a healthy soil and sheltered from the wind. Tolerating both slightly acidic and more limestone soils, this osmanthus adapts well to dry soils in summer, once well rooted. It belongs to the large and rich family of Oleaceae, which includes, for example, the olive tree, lilacs, and jasmines.

The growth of this bush is quite slow. It has a rather spreading habit, often producing several small trunks topped by a wide and dense crown. When mature, it will reach an average height of 4m with a spread of 3m. Under very favorable conditions, it can exceed 5m (16ft) in height and 4m (13ft) in spread. The foliage, evergreen throughout the year, consists of oval, thick, and leathery leaves, measuring up to 14cm (6in) in length and 4cm (2in) in width, arranged opposite on the branches. The lamina is glossy dark green on the upper side, matte and lighter underneath.

Flowering usually begins in June. If the soil remains somewhat moist in summer, it sporadically renews until October. If the summer is dry, the flowering diminishes and resumes with the return of rain. Each wave of flowers lasts about 10 days. The flowers appear on the current year's shoots, grouped in small clusters in the axils of the leaves. Each 1cm (1in) flower, with a waxy texture, takes the form of a short tube that widens into 4 rounded lobes. The flowers exhale a complex fragrance reminiscent of jasmine, but lighter, softened by notes of apricot, apple, clementine, and ripe peach. After pollination by pollinating insects (except bees, repelled by the richness of the fragrance in ethanol), the flowers are followed by the formation of oval blue-black fruits, measuring 1.5cm (1in) in length.

The Osmanthus fragrans deserves a prominent place in a garden with a mild temperate climate. It can be used in shrub borders, as a specimen, in a flowering hedge, or even in a very large container. Place it near a walkway to fully enjoy its fragrance and unique presence. It can be combined with other evergreen shrubs that flower at different times such as Ceanothus Concha, Elaeagnus, Mahonia, Sarcococca, or Garrya elliptica, in partial shade. In an evergreen hedge, it will go well with Viburnum tinus Purpureus, Rhamnus alaternus, Prunus lusitanica, Photinias, large privets, oleanders, or bay laurels.

Properties and uses:

Osmanthus flowers are sometimes mixed with tea for flavoring, or with biscuits, and are locally used in the production of a very ancient traditional Chinese liqueur served in jade cups. Perfumery also uses osmanthus absolute in the composition of high-end perfumes or cosmetics. Osmanthus absolute also has repellent properties against insects. The bark and roots are part of traditional Asian pharmacopoeia and are used to treat various inflammatory conditions or chronic coughs.