Osmanthus fragrans   

Sweet Olive

Family: Oleaceae
Zone: 8-9                                 Average Size: 15’H x 10’W

Identification: 

-Opposite arrangement of stems and leaves
-Simple leaf, elliptic, fine teeth or smooth margin, evergreen
-Gray stems with prominent lenticels
-Tiny clusters tiny yellow-white flowers, late autumn through spring, very fragrant

Note:   A popular shrub or small evergreen tree prized for the intoxicating fragrance of its flowers. Blooming from early autumn to spring, the Sweet Olive will bloom numerous times through the winter influenced by changes in temperature and moisture. Although considered slow growing, the Sweet Olive is long-lived with few pest problems and should be planted more as a specimen or hedge.

Campus Location: David Boyd Hall, south along stairs