Delavay osmanthus

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade is helpful in hot climates. Shelter from cold, drying winds.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Once established, it tolerates short dry spells, but benefits from deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil that retains some moisture; tolerates acidic, neutral and mildly alkaline conditions.

Height

6-13 ft (1.8-4 m)

Spread

6-13 ft (1.8-4 m)

Flowers

Spring; clusters of small, fragrant white tubular flowers.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, opposite, leathery dark green leaves with finely toothed edges.

Growth

Slow to moderate; allow room for its broad, arching mature shape.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.9 ft (0.87 m)

3. After 2 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

4. After 3 years

   5 ft (1.6 m)

5. After 5 years

   8 ft (2.3 m)

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Water deeply during dry weather through the first two growing seasons.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch in spring, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Add compost in spring; use a balanced shrub feed only if growth is weak or the soil is poor.
• Water established plants during prolonged drought, especially while flower buds are developing.
• Protect young plants from cold, drying winds and avoid frost pockets.

Pruning. Prune just after flowering, shortening wayward shoots and removing dead or damaged branches. For a hedge, trim lightly at the same time; repeated summer clipping reduces the following spring's flowers.

Spring

Plant when the soil is workable, water thoroughly and mulch.

Late spring

After flowering, lightly shape the shrub or trim the hedge.

Summer

Check soil moisture during dry spells and water deeply when needed.

Late summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Plant in mild regions while the soil is still warm; avoid late planting in colder districts.

Winter

Check young plants for wind loosening and protect them from severe drying winds.

• Plant beside a doorway, terrace or frequently used path where the spring fragrance can be enjoyed.
• Use as an informal evergreen hedge or screen, allowing space for its spreading branches.
• Place behind hellebores and spring bulbs for a dark evergreen backdrop.
• Combine with camellias and ferns in a sheltered, lightly shaded shrub border.

Garden styles it suits: English country, Traditional, Woodland, Sensory garden, White garden and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Camellias, Hellebores, Japanese anemones, Epimediums, Soft shield ferns and Snowdrops.

Wildlife: The flowers provide food for visiting bees and other insects. Dense evergreen branches offer shelter for small birds.

• Leaf scorch or winter browning: shelter from cold winds, maintain mulch and water during dry periods when the ground is not frozen.
• Root rot in waterlogged soil: improve drainage before planting or move the shrub to a better-drained position.
• Scale insects: inspect stems and leaf undersides; remove small infestations by hand or use a locally approved horticultural oil according to its label.
• Few flowers: avoid pruning after the post-flowering period and move plants out of deep shade if practical.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No particular part is established as poisonous, but species-specific information is limited; treat it as an ornamental rather than a food plant.

• Burkwood osmanthus (Osmanthus × burkwoodii)

  Also has fragrant white spring flowers, but usually has larger, broader leaves and a more vigorous habit; Delavay osmanthus has noticeably smaller, finely toothed leaves.

• Holly osmanthus (Osmanthus heterophyllus)

  Typically has larger leaves with conspicuous holly-like spines, especially on young growth, and flowers mainly in autumn rather than spring.

Osmanthus comes from Greek words meaning fragrant flower, and delavayi honours the French missionary and plant collector Jean-Marie Delavay.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer and root them in a sheltered propagator with a free-draining medium. Rooting can be slow.

Accepted botanical name

Osmanthus delavayi

Native range

China South-Central.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.