Known also as Tea Olive or Sweet Olive, Fragrant Olive (Osmanthus fragrans) is true to its name. Deliciously fragrant, the stark white blossoms of Osmanthus may be small but they draw the attention of visitors who are searching for the source of that delightful perfume on the air.
Fragrant olive is slow-growing but long lived. In time this evergreen plant can reach heights up to about 20 feet but in generally found at heights of 6 to 10 feet in a garden landscape. Osmanthus generally blooms throughout fall, winter and early spring but may also produce occasional flowers throughout the summer. The MOSI gardens are host to four Osmanthus plants, two near the butterfly garden enclosure and two young plants in the sensory garden beneath the Ray Charles Live Oak in the tree grove.
Fragrant olive is used in teas and in perfumes. Read more at this link about how the scent of these flowers is produced through the breakdown of beta-carotene and other hydrocarbons found resident in the Osmanthus plant. Yay for science.
Is this plant related to the olive tree? The leaves look similar and so do the white flowers. So beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThis plant is indeed related to the olive. It is in the family Oleaceae which contains both the genus Osmanthus, the genus of this plant, and also the genus Olea which contains the european olive tree.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are also deliciously fragrant.
This species originates in Asia as opposed to the olives in the Olea genus which are found throughout the warmer portions of Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa.