Osmanthus × fortunei
Fortune's tea-olive

Notes:

The *only* reason I am even listing this hybrid, which Sunset does not recommend north of the warmer parts of zone 32, is because the cultivar 'San Jose' is touted as the closest thing we can get to O. fragrans (though without reblooming) in our climate, having survived -12°F. Dave's Garden has a report of it growing in Wilmington, DE, which is USDA zone 7a by the 2012 map (and close to zone 8 by the 2015 map from the Arbor Day Foundation).

Readers in warmer climates may note that 'Fruitlandii' grows faster than typical; Dirr calls it possibly the best form available.

Juvenile leaves are spiny.

Sources: UFL, Sunset, Dirr, Cal Poly, Odenwald/Turner, NCSU.

Tags:

acidic soil preferred
attracts:birds (ex-humming)
branches strong
clay tolerant
compacted soil tolerant
dense canopy
drought tolerant
exposure:full sun
exposure:part shade
form:multi-trunked
form:shrub
form:tree
fragrant flowers
habit:columnar
habit:oval
habit:upright
habit:vase
infertile soil tolerant
litter:minimal
persistence:evergreen
pruning not required
rich soil preferred
roots:low damage potential
salt tolerant
sandy soil tolerant
seedless
slow-growing
type:broadleaf
use:container
use:foundation
use:hedge
use:screen
use:specimen
water:moderate to little
water:regular
well-drained soil required


Back to the previous page