Fragrant Tea Olive Sweet Osmanthus

Elevate your garden with the enchanting beauty and delightful aroma of the Fragrant Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans). Known for its glossy broadleaf evergreen foliage and clusters of creamy, sweetly fragrant flowers, this upright shrub or small tree adds year-round interest to your landscape.

Renowned for its intoxicating scent reminiscent of apricots or ripe peaches, the Fragrant Tea Olive, also known as the Sweet Olive, Sweet Osmanthus, or Fragrant Olive, this ornamental is a must-have for gardeners seeking a touch of elegance and sensory delight.

The heavenly scent is described as rich and sweetly fruity like Apricot or Peach. Others think it smells like a gorgeous cross between Gardenia and Jasmine. It's absolutely covered in blooms in early spring, and sporadically through summer with another flush of blooms in fall. The Fragrant Tea Osmanthus can provide color and scent at a time when other plants aren't blooming.

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Key Features of the Fragrant Tea Olive Osmanthus

The Fragrant Tea Olive displays a graceful form. With branches that are held strongly erect, the upright growth habit of this shrub easily brings visual energy to your landscape.

• Incredible Fragrance: Produces small, delicate blooms with a sweet, fruity scent that perfumes your garden.
• Broadleaf Evergreen Foliage: Glossy, deep green leaves provide lush, year-round visual appeal.
• Long Blooming Season: Flowers appear from fall to spring, with sporadic blooming in summer.
• Versatile Growth Habit: Can be pruned as a dense shrub or allowed to grow into a small tree.
• Low Maintenance: Thrives with minimal care and is highly adaptable to different growing conditions.
• Fruit For Birds: Tea Olives get their name from the tiny black fruit that you will hardly notice but the birds will.
• Edible Flowers: Dry the edible flowers to include in green and black tea mixes. The flowers are used in Sweet Cakes, dumplings, soups, and liquors. The flowers are also found in traditional Chinese medicine.

Whether you're looking to create a fragrant hedge, add a specimen plant, or enjoy its aroma on your patio, this plant is an excellent choice.

Landscaping Uses for Fragrant Tea Olive

The Fragrant Tea Olive is an adaptable and versatile plant that enhances any landscape with its beauty and fragrance:

With dark green, finely toothed, vibrantly glossy leaves held densely from the base to the top, the Fragrant Tea Olive makes a wonderful screening plant or soft hedge. It can be used in many ways, including pruned as a magnificent small tree or as a standalone specimen.

• Hedge or Screen: Plant along property lines or fences for privacy and a wall of scent. Use as windbreaks or create a new 'living fence'.
• Specimen Plant: Use as a standout focal point in garden beds or lawn areas.
• Foundation Planting: Add evergreen charm and seasonal flowers near patios, porches, or windows.
• Container Planting: Thrives in large pots, making it ideal for patios or small garden spaces.
• Pathway Accent: Line walkways or entryways with aromatic blooms for a welcoming touch.
• Versatile Form: Grown as a shrub, or limbed up over time into either a multi-trunked or single-trunked tree.
• Ornamental Beauty: An incredible addition to a Zen, Asian, or Meditation Garden.

Planting and Care for the Fragrant Tea Olive

1. Sunlight: Prefers full sun to partial shade, Osmanthus performs well in bright light but appreciates some afternoon shade in hotter climates of USDA zones 7 through 11.
2. Soil: Thrives in well-draining, slightly acidic soil enriched with organic matter.
3. Watering: Water regularly after planting to establish roots, then provide consistent moisture. Drought-tolerant once established.
4. Fertilization: Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring and mid-summer to encourage healthy growth and abundant blooms.
5. Pruning: Prune lightly to shape and remove dead or damaged branches. Can be trimmed into formal shapes or left natural.
6. Hardiness: Suitable for USDA zones 8–11. Protect from frost in cooler climates or grow in containers that can be moved indoors during winter.

Fragrance Fragrance Fragrance!

The Fragrant Tea Olive combines beauty, fragrance, and versatility into one stunning package. Its intoxicating scent and evergreen foliage make it a standout in any garden, while its low-maintenance nature ensures it thrives with minimal effort.

This is a wonderful plant that easily perfumes your landscape. Once you smell those fabulous flowers, we know you will agree that the Sweet Osmanthus, Fragrant Tea Olive is what you need to perfume your landscape! Now at NatureHills.com!

Frequently Asked Questions About Fragrant Tea Olive

How tall does the Fragrant Tea Olive grow?

It can grow 10–15 feet tall and 6–8 feet wide, depending on pruning and growing conditions.

Can it be grown in containers?

Yes! The Fragrant Tea Olive thrives in large containers, making it perfect for patios or smaller spaces.

When does it bloom?

Blooms primarily in fall and spring, with sporadic flowering throughout the year in optimal conditions.

Is it deer-resistant?

Yes, the Fragrant Tea Olive is generally deer-resistant, making it a good choice for gardens in deer-prone areas.

How do I protect it in colder climates?

In USDA zones colder than 8, grow it in a container and bring it indoors during winter or provide frost protection.

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