fragrant tea olive
Osmanthus fragrans
USDA zones9 to 11
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size15 to 30 feet tall8 to 16 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Habit
- Dense
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Orange
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Notes
Fragrant tea olive (Osmanthus fragrans) is a shrub for borders, specimens, privacy screens, and food gardens. It grows outdoors year-round in USDA zone 9 and warmer, down to about 20°F (-7°C). In colder areas, grow it as a houseplant or bring it indoors for winter. This plant likes full or part sun and dry to moist, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. The fragrant flowers are dried for herbal tea and used to make jams and cakes. It is not a favorite of deer, though hungry deer will eat almost anything. Plant it in a protected spot with good summer heat to encourage flowering.
Pairs well with Strawberry tree, Pomegranate, and Clary sage.
Native range
Himalayas, Japan, and China.