Osmanthus FRAGRANS

Osmanthus FRAGRANS - Sweet osmanthus, Fragrant olive, Sweet Osmanthus, Tea Olive.

Can be grown in bonsai style!

Osmanthus is a genus of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the Oleaceae family, distributed mainly in East and Southeast Asia. The plants are valued for their dense leathery foliage, neat crown, and small but highly fragrant flowers that open in leaf axils and are notable not for their size, but for their rich sweet scent.

The genus name is derived from the Greek words 'osme' - smell and 'anthos' - flower. This feature well reflects the character of the plant: even modest blooming of osmanthus is capable of filling the air with an aroma that is often compared to apricot, peach, jasmine, or ripe fruits.

In cultivation, osmanthuses are used as garden shrubs, hedges, container plants, small standard forms, and material for shaping. With regular pruning, the crown is kept compact, making the plant suitable not only for a warm garden, but also for a cool bright conservatory, winter garden, or seasonal container growing.

Sweet osmanthus is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to Asia, also known as sweet olive, Sweet Osmanthus, and Tea Olive. In nature, the plant occurs in China, Japan, Taiwan, the Himalayas, and countries of Southeast Asia, and in cultivation it is grown for its strong fragrance, dense foliage, and ability to remain ornamental for a long time.

The leaves of sweet osmanthus are simple, opposite, leathery, lustrous, usually dark green, with an entire or finely serrate margin. An adult plant in the open ground of a warm climate can form a large shrub or small tree, while in a container its size is restrained by pot volume, pruning, and wintering conditions.

The flowers are small, white, cream, yellowish, or orange-yellow, clustered in axillary fascicles. The main wave of flowering often falls in autumn or spring, but under favorable conditions the plant can bloom again. After flowering, dark drupes with a single hard seed are formed, maturing considerably later than flowering.

Osmanthus seeds are enclosed within a drupe and have a hard shell. It is important to consider the potential deep seed dormancy and that germination can be very protracted. For osmanthus seeds, combined moist stratification is appropriate.

Before sowing, the seeds are kept for 1-2 hours in a 1% potassium permanganate solution, then soaked in warm water for 12-24 hours. A growth stimulant is added to the water: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon. Next, the seeds are stratified: first placed for approximately 3 months in a moderately warm, slightly moist substrate at room temperature, then kept for about 3 months in cold conditions, also in a slightly moist substrate.

After stratification, the seeds are sown in a sterile loose substrate with the addition of sand or perlite, deepening by approximately 1-2 cm (0.4-0.8 in). The sowing is moistened from a spray bottle and placed in a mini-greenhouse. The substrate is kept slightly moist, but not wet, and sowings are regularly ventilated.

Sprouts may appear unevenly: individual seeds germinate after completing stratification, but with osmanthus, the wait is often prolonged for months, and in difficult cases up to 6-18 months. Pricking out is carried out after the formation of several true leaves and noticeable strengthening of the seedlings. Young plants are transplanted carefully into small pots with loose drained substrate and gradually accustomed to brighter light.

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For sweet osmanthus, a very bright location with direct morning or evening sun and protection from harsh midday overheating is selected. In hot climates, light afternoon shade is beneficial, and when grown indoors or in a winter garden, the plant is placed as close to a bright window as possible.

During active growth, a moderately warm temperature and good air circulation without cold drafts are comfortable. Wintering takes place in a bright, cool place: container plants are protected from root freezing, sharp temperature drops, and dry hot air from heating.

Watering is carried out after the upper part of the substrate has dried out. In spring and summer, the plant is watered regularly, but without waterlogging; in winter, more cautiously, taking into account the cool wintering and slower evaporation of moisture. Prolonged moisture at the roots is more dangerous than short-term drying of the upper layer.

For planting, a nutritious, loose, and well-drained substrate of slightly acidic, neutral, or near-neutral reaction is used. Coarse sand, perlite, zeolite, or another loosening fraction is added to the substrate. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot, and the pot itself is selected to be stable, with drainage holes for water runoff.

Fertilization is carried out moderately during active growth with a fertilizer for ornamental foliage or flowering container plants. Late nitrogen applications before cool wintering are not used to avoid inducing soft growth that is sensitive to cold.

Pruning is performed after the main wave of flowering or at the beginning of active growth if it is necessary to contain the size and maintain a dense crown. Heavy pruning can temporarily reduce flowering because part of the flower buds is set on matured shoots. When training as a bonsai, shoots are shortened gradually, and young growth is pinched back after maturing.