Scientific Name:
Osmanthus delavayi
Pronunciation:
oz-MAN-thus duh-lah-VAY-eye
Common Name:
tea olive
Family Name:
Oleaceae
Plant Type:
Broadleaf evergreen
Key ID Features:
Medium sized evergreen shrub with graceful arching branches; leaves opposite, ovate-elliptic, thick, curved, dark green, sharply toothed, most just 2-3cm long x 1-1.5cm wide; flowers white, tubular corolla with four petal lobes, fragrant, early spring, <1cm wide.
Habit:
Arching, Dense
Form:
Round
Texture:
Medium - fine
Mature Height:
2 - 3m
Mature Spread:
2 - 3m
Growth Rate:
Slow
Origin:
S.E. Asia / Japan / China (western China)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 7: (-18 to -12 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Alkaline
Landscape Uses:
Fragrance, Rock garden, Small garden/space
Additional Info:
Google. Leaves and plants are less than half the size of O. x burkwoodii (habits of both plants are similar).
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Leathery, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous, Lustrous
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green
Colour in Fall:
Dark-green
Shapes:
Elliptic, Ovate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Rounded
Margins:
Serrate
Additional Info:
To 2cm long, serrated margins. NOTE: images of larger, finely serrated leaves are of O. x burkwoodii (was at GAZN).
Inflorescence Type:
Flowers clustered, Floriferous
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
4
Corolla Shape:
Salverform
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White
Flower Scent:
Fragrant
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr, May
Fruit Type:
Drupe
Fruit Colour:
Blue, Black
Fruiting Time:
Aug, Sep
Bark Morphology:
Multi-stem trunk
Bark or Stem Colour:
Dark Grey
Propagation:
Seed, Cuttings
Pest Susceptibility:
Root rot, Scale insects, Wilt (Pest resistant, Disease resistant, Deer resistant, Rabbit resistant, Drought tolerant)
