The Osmanthus, blossoming from early to mid-September and October, is primarily a golden yellow. It is one of China’s traditional top ten flowers and a superior garden tree species, offering greening, beautification, and fragrance. Its delicate scent is clear and crisp, yet rich and far-reaching, making it exceptional.
Especially during the mid-autumn season, when Osmanthus trees burst into full bloom and the moon is quietly round, drinking wine under their fragrant canopy is refreshing.
The Osmanthus has long been loved by the Chinese and is considered a traditional and prestigious flower.
Blooming within the leaves, the tiny four-lobed corolla of the Osmanthus flower offers a multitude of horticultural varieties, the most representative being the Golden Osmanthus, Silver Osmanthus, Red Osmanthus, and Laurel. The flower can be used in food and cosmetics, and can be made into pastries, candies, and brewed into wine.
The Osmanthus is a common name for numerous trees in the Oleaceae family in China. Its representative species is Osmanthus fragrans, also known as Rock Osmanthus, a durable, thin-skinned evergreen shrub or small tree with long elliptical leaves, sharp ends, and the capacity to stay evergreen throughout winter. Its blossoms are born within the leaves, forming small, four-lobed corolla.
The species boasts many horticultural varieties, the most representative of which are the Golden Osmanthus, Silver Osmanthus, Red Osmanthus, and Laurel.
This variety grows in a bushy manner with a low, short-branched, spherical crown. New leaves are deep red while mature leaves are green or yellow-green.
The leaves are oval or broadly ovate, with entire or slightly serrated edges, and the leaf margin is scarcely wavy. The leaves are thin, with slightly protruding leaf flesh on the surface and prominent veins.
The average length of the petiole is about 1 centimeter. The key feature is the large angle between the main vein and side veins, nearly perpendicular.
The ‘Four Seasons Osmanthus’ often bears single flowers or clusters of 2-3 flowers from September to the following March.
The flower color is pale, ranging from milky yellow to lemon yellow, and the fragrance is not as rich as that of Silver, Golden, or Red Osmanthus. Varieties include large-leaf and small-leaf Four Seasons Osmanthus.
A type of evergreen shrub, it has separate male and female plants and a spherical crown. The bark is light grey and smooth with sparse pores. The leaves are leather-like, elongated oval or oval, measuring 6-12 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wide.
The leaf surface is relatively flat with edges curling inwards. It has an entire edge with occasional sparse teeth at the tip, and a wide wedge-shaped base.
The tip is blunt or short-pointed, with 8-10 pairs of side veins and noticeable veins on both sides of the leaf. The petiole is 8-10 mm long.
The flowers are orange-red and lightly scented. It blooms from late September to early October, displaying a deep orange, orange-red to cinnabar color, and emitting a rich aroma. Its leaves are thick, and its varieties include “Big Red Osmanthus”, “Toothed Red Osmanthus”, “Cinnabar Red Osmanthus”, and “Broadleaf Red.”
This evergreen small tree has a spherical crown and a strong, robust growth habit, with erect and dense branches. The bark is gray and its spring shoots are comparatively robust, averaging 15.9 cm in length. Its leaves are dark green, glossy, and leather-like.
They are oval-shaped with an uneven surface, wavy edges, and noticeable curling. The edges are entire, occasionally serrated at the tip. The flowers are yellow, strongly fragrant, and do not bear fruit. It blooms in the autumn, presenting a lemon yellow to golden yellow color.
This evergreen small tree has a spherical crown, with branches and leaves spread wide and growing thickly. The bark is light grey with numerous, large pores resembling snowflakes. Its spring shoots are brown-red and very noticeable.
The leaves are green or dark green, thick, and glossy. They are elongated oval or oval-shaped, broader, and more substantial than other varieties.
The leaf surface is flat; the edges are slightly wavy, curled, entire, occasionally serrated at the tip. It blooms from early to mid-September, the corolla spreading obliquely, with oval lobes.
The flower color ranges from milky yellow to lemon yellow with a rich fragrance; it does not bear fruit after flowering. It blooms in autumn, presenting pure white, milky white, yellow-white, or light yellow color.
The garden osmanthus, originally from the eastern Himalayas in southwest China, is also found in India, Nepal, and Cambodia. Wild osmanthus can be found growing in various regions across China.
The osmanthus thrives in areas with good hydrothermal conditions, suitable precipitation, and soil mainly composed of yellow-brown or brownish-yellow earth. The predominant vegetation in these areas is subtropical broad-leaved forest.
Osmanthus is an evergreen tree or shrub with gray-brown bark. Its twigs are brownish-yellow and hairless. The leaves are leathery, oval, elongated oval, or oblong lanceolate, tapering at the ends and wedge-shaped at the base.
They are either smooth or finely serrated on the upper half, and hairless on both sides. The glandular spots appear as small, bubble-like protrusions on both surfaces.
The central vein is concave on the upper surface and convex on the lower surface, as are the 6-8 pairs of lateral veins. The leaf stems are hairless.
The inflorescence of the osmanthus, grouped in leaf axils or broom-like clusters, bears multiple flowers. The bracts are broad-ovate, thick, and have small tips. The flower stalks are slender and hairless.
The flowers, intensely fragrant, have a calyx about 1mm long with slightly irregular lobes. The corolla is yellow-white, light yellow, yellow, or orange-red, with a tube only 0.5-1mm long.
The stamens are located in the middle of the corolla tube, with extremely short filaments and anthers about 1mm long. The anther divides at the tip into an unobtrusive small point.
The fruit, slanting and oval, is purplish-black. Flowers bloom from September to early October and fruits ripen the following March.
Distinct varieties include the vibrant Osmanthus with robust growth, sturdy branches, larger leaves, rough leaf surfaces, dark green leaves, and orange-red flowers.
There is also the Silver Osmanthus, with moderate growth, smooth leaves, serrated leaf edges, milky white flowers, dense blossoms, and a sweet fragrance.
Another variant has strong growth, smooth leaves, sparse serration or smooth leaf edges, light yellow flowers, sparse blossoms, and a light fragrance.
In addition to blooming in the autumn like the other varieties, this variant may bloom again every two or three months. Both this variant and the vibrant Osmanthus bear purplish-black stone fruits, colloquially known as “osmanthus seeds”.
The osmanthus seedlings have prominent taproots and a well-developed, deep root system. The young roots are light brown, while the old roots are brownish.
Osmanthus is suited for subtropical climates. It thrives in warm and moist conditions. The average temperature in its growth areas ranges from 14-28°C, with July averages of 24-28°C, January averages above 0°C, and can withstand a minimum temperature of -13°C. The optimal growth temperature range is 15-28°C.
Humidity is crucial for the development of the osmanthus, with an annual average of 75%-85% required, and an annual rainfall of around 1000mm.
Particularly during its juvenile stage and flowering periods, the osmanthus needs ample water, and drought can affect its blooming. Intense sunlight and shading are detrimental to its growth, and it generally requires 6-8 hours of light each day.
Osmanthus prefers warmth and has strong resistance, withstanding both high temperatures and relative cold. It can survive winter outdoors in regions south of the Qinling and Huaihe Rivers in China. The osmanthus loves sunlight but can also tolerate shade.
Full sunlight enables it to grow luxuriant branches and leaves and abundant flowers, while in the shade, it has sparse branches, leaves, and flowers. If potted indoors in the north, it requires sufficient sunlight for growth and bud formation.
While osmanthus loves moisture, it doesn’t tolerate waterlogging, though it does have some drought resistance. It isn’t overly demanding regarding soil type and can grow in most soils, excluding alkaline and waterlogged, overly sticky soils. It thrives best in deep, loose, fertile, well-draining, slightly acidic sandy loam.
Osmanthus should be planted in well-ventilated and well-lit locations. It enjoys clean, breezy environments and does not tolerate smoke and dust damage, often failing to bloom if affected. It fears waterlogging and flooding.
If exposed to water damage, the root system turns black and rots, the leaf tips wither, and then the entire leaf turns yellow and falls off, eventually leading to plant death.
Though not highly cold-resistant, compared to other evergreen broad-leaved species, it is relatively frost-tolerant.
The Osmanthus fruit ripens in April and May. Harvest when the skin turns from green to purple-black. Osmanthus seeds require a post-mature effect, necessitating at least six months of sand-storage.
After harvesting, sprinkle water, soak to remove the pulp, and store in a cool place for natural drying. The seeds can be sown in the fall or spring after sand-storage.
Regular checks are needed to prevent mold or rodent damage. Strip-sowing is generally used for propagation. Prepare the land well and apply enough base fertilizer before sowing.
You can also sow on indoor seedbeds. When sowing, place the umbilical side of the seed down to prevent the embryonic root and stem from bending, which could affect the seedling growth.
Cover with a layer of fine soil after sowing, then top with straw to retain moisture and shade. Keep the soil moist at all times, and seedlings should emerge within the year.
After two years of growth on the seedbed, the seedlings can be transplanted in the third year. Seed-grown seedlings bloom later and can start to bloom 8-10 years after planting.
Privet, Small-Leaf Privet, Small Wax, Water Wax, White Wax, and Fringe Tree are often used as rootstocks for grafting. When producing a large number of seedlings, the Small-Leaf Privet is commonly used in the north. Before sprouting in the spring, cut the rootstock 5 cm above the ground.
Choose robust 1-2 year old Osmanthus branches 10-12 cm long, shape one side into a 2-3 cm long wedge, and make a small 45-degree slant on the opposite side.
Make a vertical cut about 2-3 cm deep in the rootstock at about one third of its height. Insert the scion into the cut, aligning the cambium layers, bind tightly with a plastic bag, and then cultivate in the buried soil.
Grafts using Small-Leaf Privet as rootstock have a high survival rate, quick growth, shorter lifespan, and may form a “top-heavy” phenomenon.
Using Water Wax as rootstock results in slower growth but a longer lifespan. For potted Osmanthus, grafting is common. Using Fringe Tree as rootstock, grafting should be done during the growing season, not during the rainy season or dog days.
When grafting, choose scions and rootstock of similar thickness, carve an appropriate part of the scion into a shuttle-shaped cut, reaching the woody part, about 3-4 cm long, and carve a similar cut in the rootstock at the same height.
Then press the two cuts together, aligning the cambium layers, bind tightly with plastic strips, after healing, cut off the rootstock above the graft and the scion below.
The root system of the grafted seedlings differs due to the rootstock; cuttings buried in soil can easily produce adventitious roots, but there is no obvious main root.
Osmanthus is highly branched with low branching points, especially in its early years, often presenting as a shrub. It can form an obvious main stem after dense planting or pruning. The bark is rough, gray-brown or gray-white, sometimes with visible lenticels.
The leaf surface is smooth and leathery, dark glossy green on the proximal side, and lighter on the distal side. The leaf shape varies from elliptical, ovate, inverted ovate, lanceolate, inverted lanceolate, long pin-shaped to ovate-lanceolate.
Before sprouting in spring, cut healthy one-year-old branches into 5-10 cm pieces, remove the lower leaves, keep 2-3 green leaves at the top, insert into river sand or loam seedbed, maintain plant row distance at 3 cm X 20 cm.
Water or spray immediately after insertion, shade, maintain temperature at 20-25°C, relative humidity at 85%-90%, and the cuttings can be transplanted after two months.
Both low and high layering methods are applicable. For low layering, select Osmanthus plants with low branches or clumps. This is done from spring to early summer.
Choose robust lower trunk parent trees, cut or girdle their 1-2 year old branches, reaching the woody part, then press into 3-5 cm deep trenches and fix with wooden bars, leaving only the top and leaves exposed.
The high layering method in spring involves choosing 1-2 year old robust branches from the parent tree, similarly cut or girdled like the low layering method, or making a 6-9 cm long cut from its lower side, smearing the wound with culture medium, tying both ends with plastic bags, and always maintaining the moisture of the medium during cultivation.
After rooting in the fall, cut off the parent plant for care. The root system of the layered seedlings varies due to the rootstock.
Cuttings buried in soil can easily produce adventitious roots, but there is no obvious main root. Osmanthus is highly branched and has low branching points, especially noticeable in its early years, often appearing shrub-like. It can form a clear main stem after dense planting or pruning. The bark is rough, gray-brown or gray-white, sometimes showing lenticels.
The leaf surface is smooth and leathery, darker glossy green on the axis side, lighter on the off-axis side, and the shape can be elliptical, oblong, ovate, inverted ovate, lanceolate, inverted lanceolate, elongated pin-shaped to ovate-lanceolate.
The fruits of the Osmanthus flower mature between April and May. When the skin of the fruit changes from green to purplish-black, it’s ready to harvest. Osmanthus seeds require a half-year period of sand storage, a process known as after-ripening.
After harvesting, water the seeds and allow them to decompose to remove the pulp. Place them in a cool area to air dry, then store them mixed with sand. They can be sown in the autumn or the spring following sand storage.
During this period, regular checks are needed to prevent the seeds from rotting or being damaged by rats. Sowing is typically done in rows. Prior to sowing, prepare the land and provide ample base fertilizer.
Sowing can also be done in indoor nurseries. When sowing, place the seeds with the umbilical side down to prevent the radicle and seedling stem from bending, which could affect future growth.
After sowing, cover with a thin layer of soil, then cover with grass for shading and moisture retention.
Keep the soil consistently moist, and seedlings will emerge within the same year. Seedlings can be transplanted for cultivation in their third year. It takes 8-10 years for the seedlings to bloom.
Privet, small-leaved privet, wax tree, water-wax tree, white wax tree, and fringe tree are commonly used as rootstocks for grafting. In the north, small-leaved privet is often used when propagating a large number of seedlings. Before bud-burst in spring, cut the rootstock about 5cm above the ground.
Cut a vigorous branch of the Osmanthus tree that’s 1-2 years old and 10-12cm long. Shave one side of the base into a 2-3cm face, and the opposite side into a small 45-degree inclined face.
Make a vertical cut about 2-3cm deep into the rootstock, about a third of the way from one side. Insert the scion into the cut, align the cambium layers, secure with a plastic bag, then bury and cultivate in soil.
Grafting with small-leaved privet as the rootstock results in high survival rates and rapid growth but a short lifespan and a “small foot” phenomenon, where the scion is thicker than the rootstock. Grafting with water-wax trees results in slower growth but a longer lifespan.
Osmanthus trees grown in pots are often grafted onto the fringe tree. This should be done during the growing season, and not during the rainy season or in high temperatures.
When grafting, select a scion and rootstock with similar stem diameters. Shave an appropriate area on the scion into a spindle-shaped cut that reaches the xylem and is about 3-4cm long.
Make a similar cut at the same height on the rootstock. Press the two cuts together, ensuring the cambium layers are closely aligned. Secure with a plastic strip, and after the graft has healed, trim the rootstock above the graft and the scion below the graft.
The root system of the grafted seedlings varies according to the rootstock. Cuttings easily develop adventitious roots when inserted into the soil, but there’s no distinct main root.
Osmanthus branches heavily with low branching points, especially in youth, resulting in a shrub-like form. However, if grown densely or pruned, a clear main stem can develop. The bark is rough, grayish-brown or grayish-white, sometimes showing lenticels.
The leaves are glossy, leathery, and dark green on the adaxial side, paler on the abaxial side, and can be elliptical, ovate, inversely ovate, lanceolate, inversely lanceolate, linear-lanceolate, or ovate-lanceolate.
Before bud-burst in spring, select one-year-old, well-developed branches. Cut them into 5-10cm segments, remove the lower leaves, leaving 2-3 green leaves at the top.
Insert the cuttings into a bed of river sand or loamy soil, spacing them 3cm x 20cm apart. Water immediately after insertion, and provide shading.
Maintain a temperature of 20-25℃ and a relative humidity of 85%-90%. The cuttings should root and be ready for transplanting after 2 months.
Layering can be divided into low and high layering. For low layering, choose a parent plant with low branches or a clumping form. This should be done in the spring to early summer. Choose a relatively thick parent tree with a low trunk.
Cut or ring-bark the 1-2-year-old branches at the easily bending parts, reaching to the xylem. Then press them into a 3-5cm deep trench and secure them with wooden sticks, leaving only the shoot tips and leaves exposed.
For high layering in spring, select 1-2-year-old thick branches from the parent tree. Cut a circle or ring-bark them like the low layering, or cut a 6-9cm slit from their lower side.
Then, smear the wound with rooting medium, secure the area above and below with a plastic bag, and keep the medium moist during the cultivation process.
After rooting in the autumn, cut off from the parent plant and nurse it. The root system of the layered plants varies according to the parent plant. After being inserted into the soil, cuttings easily develop adventitious roots, but there is no distinct main root.
The Osmanthus branches heavily and has low branching points, especially apparent in its youth, which often results in a shrub-like form. If it’s densely planted or pruned, a clear main stem can form. The bark is rough, grayish-brown or grayish-white, sometimes showing lenticels. The leaves
are glossy, leathery, and dark green on the adaxial side, and paler on the abaxial side. They can be elliptical, ovate, inversely ovate, lanceolate, inversely lanceolate, linear-lanceolate, or ovate-lanceolate.
Choose a healthy branch that’s 1-2 years old and about 5mm in diameter. About 30-40cm from the branch tip, remove a ring of bark about 2cm wide, and cover with a layer of wet sphagnum moss about 3cm thick. Wrap with a piece of plastic film, and tie both ends securely with string. After about 2 months, the branch should develop roots.
Cut off the rooted branch below the root ball, and plant it in a pot with well-drained soil. Keep it in a shaded area and water regularly until it’s well-established.
Air layering should be done in the spring, when the weather is cool and the plant is actively growing. This method is particularly useful for propagating large or mature plants that are difficult to propagate by cuttings or grafting.
Osmanthus Flower Benefits: The flowers are pale yellowish-white and fragrant. They can be used to extract essential oil and make osmanthus syrup. The extract can be used in food and cosmetics and can also be used to make pastries, candies, and brewed into wine.
The Osmanthus flower has a pungent flavor and can be used in medicine. The flower, fruit, and root can all be used medicinally.
The flowers are harvested in the fall, the fruits in the spring, and the roots can be harvested year-round and then dried in the sun. The flowers are pungent and warm, the fruits are pungent and sweet and warm, and the roots are sweet and slightly astringent.
The Osmanthus flowers can help disperse cold, break up stagnation, transform phlegm, and stop coughing. They can be used to treat toothache, cough with excessive phlegm, menstrual blockage, and abdominal pain.
The fruit can warm the stomach, calm the liver, and disperse cold, and is used to treat stomach pain due to cold. The root can dispel wind and dampness, disperse cold, and is used to treat rheumatic bone pain, back pain, and toothache due to kidney deficiency.
Osmanthus Wine Benefits: Ancient people believed that osmanthus was the king of all herbs, so wine brewed from osmanthus flowers was believed to contribute to longevity. During the Han dynasty, osmanthus wine was a premium offering used in religious ceremonies and ancestral rituals.
After the ceremony, younger generations would serve osmanthus wine to their elders, symbolizing their wish for longevity. The wine is sweet and rich and can stimulate appetite, refresh the mind, and nourish the spleen.
It is particularly suitable for women to drink and is known as the “wine of women’s happiness.” There are theoretical practices of floral therapy in traditional Chinese medicine, and osmanthus wine is a typical example.
Osmanthus Tea Benefits: Osmanthus tea can beautify the skin, soothe the throat, improve symptoms of excessive phlegm and cough, treat duodenal ulcers, urticaria, stomach cold, bad breath, and blurry vision.
In modern gardening, osmanthus is used for its dense, evergreen foliage. It can be planted in pairs, individually, in groups, or in rows.
Traditionally, magnolias, begonias, peonies, and osmanthus – the four traditional famous flowers – are planted together in front of courtyards, symbolizing wealth and honor.
The wood of the osmanthus tree is dense, has beautiful grain, doesn’t easily crack, and has a smooth surface when planed, making it excellent for carving.
Osmanthus is widely used in landscaping. With scientific advancement, saplings originally from the south have been introduced to the north.
Osmanthus has a good greening effect and grows quickly. However, in the north, it has average cold tolerance, and special protection is needed in the winter for it to survive.
Osmanthus is evergreen and dense. It flowers in the fall, filling the air with a fragrant scent, hence the saying, “it stands alone in autumn, surpassing all other flowers.” It is commonly used in gardening, either as a feature tree, or planted in pairs, or in clusters or groves.
Osmanthus is somewhat resistant to harmful gases like sulfur dioxide and hydrogen fluoride, making it a good plant for greening industrial and mining areas.
The scent of osmanthus is captivating and contains various aromatic substances, making it useful for culinary purposes or for extracting essential oil.
There is a well-known legend about Osmanthus. When you look at the moon, you can see a man and a tree. The man is chopping the tree with an axe. This is the tale of Wu Gang chopping the tree, and the tree he is cutting is the Osmanthus tree.
Even though Wu Gang is constantly chopping, the Osmanthus tree remains lush and vibrant, symbolizing the quality of resilience in the face of adversity, a quality that people aspire to.
Osmanthus flowers form in corymbose inflorescences, clustered at the leaf axils. Five to six flowers grow in clusters, and the flowers are very fragrant. They come in colors like yellow and orange, making them an extremely ornamental plant.
Not only that, but Osmanthus is also a high-quality raw material for tea. Osmanthus can be used to make Osmanthus tea, which is fragrant and mellow, sweet and smooth, and is a type of flower tea loved by the public.
The color of the Osmanthus flower is elegant and noble, refreshing and neat, pure and unconventional. Therefore, the flower language of Osmanthus symbolizes loftiness, auspiciousness, beauty, and loyalty.
The branches of the Osmanthus tree imply a smooth career path, and outstanding scholarly achievements; while in Western countries, Osmanthus branches are seen as a symbol of honor and glory.
Peggie was once a high school mathematics teacher, but she set aside her chalkboard and textbooks to follow her lifelong passion for flowers. After years of dedication and learning, she not only established a thriving flower shop but also founded this blog, “Flowers Library”. If you have any questions or wish to learn more about flowers, feel free to contact Peggie.
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