Species fragrant olive
glossy, dark-green, ovate leaves with clusters of small, white flowers, and brown, rough stems

fragrant olive

Osmanthus fragrans

The fragrant olive (Osmanthus fragrans) is a popular evergreen shrub native to eastern Asia. Its attractive, glossy, dark green leaves make it a great addition to any garden or landscape. In late Spring, it's white or yellow flowers will spread an exotic yet comforting fragrance around the garden. Its alternating oval-shaped leaves grow on reddish petioles and can reach up to 8 cm in length. The fragrant olive also produces blue-black fruits of up to 20 mm in size. All in all, the fragrant olive is an easy to maintain, attractive shrub that can add beauty and elegance to any garden.

Cycle:

Perennial

Watering:

Average

Propagation:

Air Layering Propagation,Grafting Propagation,Cutting,Division,Seed Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

9 - 11

Flowers:

White Flowers In Spring

Sun:

full sun,part shade

Fruits:

green,yellow,orange,white Fruits Ready In Fall

Edible:

Yes

Leaf:

Yes

Growth Rate:

Low

Maintenance:

Moderate

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Thorny:

Yes

Indoors:

Yes

watering

Fragrant olives need to be watered every 7-10 days, and should receive about an inch of water during each watering. Soak the soil until water begins to run out of the bottom of the pot, then stop watering. During the winter when the plant is dormant, you can reduce the amount of watering. Let the top of the soil dry out before re-watering. During warmer months you may need to water every 5-7 days. Be mindful not to let the soil dry out completely, as it can damage the plant.

sunlight

Fragrant olive (Osmanthus fragrans) needs between 4 and 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, spread out evenly throughout the day. The sun should be at its highest in the late morning. When possible, provide more sunlight in summer, but be careful not to overdo it, especially in hotter climates. Too much sunlight can be damaging to the plant and can cause leaves to become yellow and scorched.

pruning

Fragrant olive requires minimal pruning and should be pruned only when necessary. If pruning is necessary, it should take place in early spring or late winter when the plant is not actively growing. This will help reduce stress on the plant and ensure best results. Pruning should also be done carefully, removing only branches and shoots that are dead, diseased, damaged, weak, or overlapped. Avoid over-pruning as this can weaken the plant.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Harvest Fruit

The harvesting season for Osmanthus fragrans typically begins in late summer, usually in August or September.

Starts Flowering

Osmanthus fragrans typically starts flowering in April or May.

Harvest Fruit

The harvesting season for Osmanthus fragrans typically begins in late summer, usually in August or September.

Hardiness Map