Osmanthus x burkwoodii

Osmanthus x burkwoodii

 

 

Common name: Burkwood osmanthus, hybrid sweet olive

Family: Oleaceae

Leaf: leathery, opposite, dark green, simple, ovate, 2.5-5cm long, with cinnamon coloured stems

Flowers: Clusters of small, highly scented tubular white, orange or yellow flowers with 4 lobes

Fruit: ovoid blue-black drupes

Habit: evergreen shrub or small tree; Form: mounding, rounded

Height: up to 10' (sometimes up to 25'); Spread: up to 10'

Culture: Plant in full sun to part shade. Some sources even say it can handle full shade, with less flowering however. Hardy to USDA zones 7-9. Tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, including clay and sand, though appreciates good drainage. Light pruning can keep this shrub dense in youth. It can be coppiced and/or formally sheared into a hedge. Drought tolerant once established but benefits from occasional watering.

Uses: woodland garden, screen, hedge, solo specimen, groupings

Origin: garden origin