Common Names: Sweet Olive,
Fragrant Tea Olive.
Small creamy-orange flowers of
this delightful legendary plant from China fill the air with a rare perfume
that surrounds you and penetrates deep into your heart, bringing a touch of
floral mystery. The allure of tea made with Osmanthus blossoms is perfect for
those times when you want something seductive yet satisfying.
Osmanthus is one of the 10
famous flowers in China and Taiwan. A traditional symbol of Love and Romance,
Osmanthus was used in old wedding customs in Taiwan, when the bride prepared
Sweet Osmanthus and Pomegranate pot plants and carried them to her new family.
The fragrant plant symbolized True Love and Faithfulness and the fruit tree -
Fertility and Peace, and the custom had the meaning of "giving birth to
noble children" and "many children and many grandchildren".
For modern people the plant is
still very much welcomed. Slow growing and easy in cultivation, Osmanthus makes
a good container plant. In the ground it can grow into a small tree or shrub
that will take a wide range of conditions, from full sun to shade, requires
minimum care and is relatively cold hardy at least to zones 8-9.
Osmanthus fragrans, or Sweet
Olive (Tea Olive), belongs to Olive Family (Oleaceae) along with numerous
jasmines. It is evergreen tree or shrub with a moderate growth rate, native to
China. It has glossy dark green leaves 2"x-4" with toothed edges and
small 0.5" flowers usually hidden by foliage, with a strong apricot-like
fragrance that can be smelled from a distance.
The plant prefers reasonably
good soil, but is adaptable to different kinds of soil, including sandy and
alkaline. Young plant needs regular watering and once established, little water
is required and the plant will thrive well almost with neglect. The tree may be
pruned to maintain size or formed as a smaller shrub, and to encourage
branching.
Plant Sweet Olive where its
lovely fragrance can be enjoyed, wherever there is foot traffic near windows,
doors or by outdoor sitting areas. Keep it in a pot if you have limited space,
and provide just a little care and Love. This slow growing Plant of Romance is
very long-lived and will lighten your winters for a very long time.
Sweet Olive is especially
valued as an additive for tea and other beverages in the Far East. The Chinese
discovered that the Osmanthus can be used to enhance the natural fruitiness of
some of their finest green and black teas. The result is similar to fine
jasmine tea (flavored with Jasminum sambac) but lighter and much fruitier. The
leaves from the osmanthus are sometimes mixed in with partially fermented green
tea to produce a lovely aromatic tea. Osmanthus flowers used to scent tea are
known as Kwei Hwa (Kwei Hua).
A scented tea can be made by
adding into regular black or green tea a small amount of dried flowers of
Osmanthus and Jasmine. The jar with this mix should be sealed for a few weeks,
and then used for brew.
Osmanthus blossom scented tea
with fresh flower petals has an unforgettable scent that can just draw you into
feeling a bit drunk...
Medicinal Use:
Osmanthus fragrans flowers
(know as Gui Hua, or Kwei Hwa) are widely used in Chinese medicine. There are
many medical products made out of sweet osmanthus buds, leaves and bark. They
are said to protect against coughs and used to flavor other medicines, and in
cosmetics for the hair and skin.
A decoction of the stem bark is
used in the treatment of boils, carbuncles etc. A decoction of the lateral
roots is used in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea, rheumatism, bruises etc. An
essential oil obtained from the flowers is used as an insect repellent for
clothes. They are also added to herbal medicines in order to disguise obnoxious
flavors.
Both the blossoms and the
leaves of this plant are used in the production of some of the world's rarest
and most expensive perfumes. Because of its scarcity Osmaunthus Absolute oil is
very expensive, up to $3000 per lb, and its use in commercial perfumery is
restricted to small quantities.
The Osmanthus scent is often
referred to as "the Perfume of Perfumes" due to its pure and
intoxicating floral redolence. The fruity notes are a bouquet in themselves as
they partake of apricot, plum and raisins. Its most intense aroma is floating
and dancing on whispers of breeze, touching the hearts with nostalgia and
remembrance of things past.
The Osmanthus flower itself is
simply radiant, and some perfumery experts admit that there is not any other
perfume that so perfectly catches the beauty of the flower and call it
"the reminiscence of a Chinese garden".
Osmanthus perfumes are
delightfully fruity, floral fragrances - and yet supremely sophisticated and
elegant, rendering the delicacy of the distant land and the mysteries of its
most prized flower...
What Are Other's Saying:
"Mine is blooming now. One
of the most wonderfully powerful fragrances I've ever had the pleasure of
smelling. Year in and out, always incredible. How can such small orange flowers
put out such a massive scent? When it's in bloom, everyone in the area knows
it, even if you can't really see the flowers unless you're standing beside the
shrub/tree. Mine is about 8-10 ft high. I do prune it to keep it from getting
too wide, but I don't try to control the height. Absolutely bullet proof: no
problems of any kind and no drought or winter has changed its appearance or
hardiness an iota. No supplemental watering period, ever." (From
Birmingham, AL)
Don’t miss an opportunity to
inhale the heady aroma of fresh osmanthus flowers. It is one of the true
delights of the Earth.
DESCRIPTION:
Height: 8-15 ft.
Flowers: Late Winter/Early
Spring, Late Summer/Early Fall, Blooms repeatedly.
Bloom Color: Coral/Apricot,
Orange.
Foliage: Evergreen, Aromatic,
Smooth-Textured.
This plant may be attractive to
bees, butterflies and/or birds. Flowers are VERY fragrant.
Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial
Shade.
Irrigation: Water regularly; do
not overwater. This plant is suitable for growing indoors.
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