It is hardy to about 10 or 15° (Zones 8-10). Most tea olives will grow in sun to medium shade. It grows in either sun or part shade. Variegated types tend to bleach out in full sun, so give them a little … Below are three common tea olives to consider: If you have been on the search for a different plant to use for a hedge or enjoy having fragrant plants tea olives have these great features and can make a great addition to your landscape or garden. Tea trees typically have an upright growth habit that forms a round to ovular shape with dense foliage. Delavay tea olive will grow throughout South Carolina. Devilwood prefers moist, well-drained, acidic soil, but is adaptable to various soil types, tolerates extended flooding, and is also tolerant of salt spray. The site may not look or function as expected. Comment About Pruning The way you grow Tea Olive will depend on how you prune it. For a formal hedge, plant Olive Martini™ Elaeagnus approximately 10 feet center-to-center. The Gulftide False Holly is a dwarf selection of the False Holly. Tea olive is also a versatile plant that can make a great backdrop for other plants. A large evergreen shrub or small tree with a broad upright form that is densely branched and covered with finely toothed, dark green foliage. Large evergreens with attractive flowers that can be used for screens include camellias and Fortune’s tea olive.. Scales are the main insect pest and can be controlled with sprays of 2% horticultural oil (5 tablespoons oil per gallon of water). It grows into an arching mound 6 to 10 feet tall by 6 to 10 feet wide, but can easily be kept smaller. Tea olives are long-lived and virtually pest free. ‘Goshiki’ means “five colors” in Japanese. Drought-tolerant. Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer. Join our mailing list to receive the latest updates from HGIC. It may be used as a hedge and lends itself well to shearing. Pruning is straight-forward too - just remove any dead or damaged growth for best results. Most Osmanthus species grow in a hardiness zone range of 7 to 9 (Wayne County is zone 8), making this shrub a nice selection for gardens in our area. Do not apply horticultural oils when the temperature is below 45 °F or above 90 °F, when high humidity prevents drying, or when rainfall is expected within 24 hours. Tea olives will have opposite leaf arrangements down the stem while hollies have alternate leaf arrangements. Tea olive shrubs typically grow 4 to 12 inches per year, advises Clemson Cooperative Extension. Their leaves resemble holly leaves, explaining another common name, false holly. Plant near walks and entrances to enjoy the … The Tea Olive has a medium growth-rate and is capable of reaching 20 to 25 ft. in height and width but is most often seen at 10 to 12 ft. high with an 8-foot spread. Tiny flower clusters have a delightful apricot-like fragrance. Flowers are powerfully fragrant, with a scent like that of ripe apricots. Holly Tea Olive or False Holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus): Holly tea olives are relatively small compared to other tea olives, growing between 8 and 10 feet tall and slightly narrower in width. The individual flowers are small and almost hard to see until you look closely and see clusters of creamy white flowers hidden in the shrub. It looks good as a specimen plant, and its glossy, evergreen leaves and dense growth habit make it well suited for screens and hedges. And because the Fragrant Tea Olive grows slowly, its dense evergreen growth can be pruned into a hedge or shrub, providing an … Pests and Diseases. Working hand-in-hand with our partners at N.C. A&T and 101 local governments, we conduct groundbreaking research that addresses real-world issues in communities across the state. The Osmanthus shrub grows in a dense, upright oval to round form making this a great shrub in the landscape for hedges or screens. ‘Ogon’ has golden yellow new leaves that fade to yellow-green. Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm EST 3705 New Bern Ave. Raleigh, NC 27610 Phone: (919) 231-6161 Fax: (919) 231-7688 Keep roots moist for the the first year after planting and water during severe droughts. Excellent as a hedge, backdrop or specimen, Olive Martini provides sturdy structure and stable color. Fragrant Tea Olives prefer full to part sun. Australian tea tree displays small, leathery, bluish-grey leaves and grey bark that adds to its textural appearance. Pruning is straight-forward too - just remove any dead or damaged growth for best results. Occasional disease and insect problems could occur but this would be mainly when the plant is under stressful conditions becoming more prone to pest problems. (Sweet Osmanthus, fragrant Tea olive) Sweet Tea Olive is large evergreen shrub or small tree is capable of reaching 6-8 m in height and width but is most often seen at 3-4 m high with a 2 m spread. A bonus for tea olives is that they are fairly resistant to damage by deer. Many colored leaves of ‘Goshiki’ holly tea olive (Osmanthus heterophyllus). Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed. They are shiny, toothed, and dark green. Attention to feeding and watering will produce the fastest growth. The evergreen foliage is dark and leathery. Devilwood will grow throughout South Carolina. An unforgettable fragrance merges with slow but steady growth, making the Tea Olive Tree a must-have for your garden. Tea olives are not salt spray tolerant, with the exception of the native Devilwood (Osmanthus americanus). Once established, the plant will need little or no … Cooperative Extension, which staffs local offices in all 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Because of their natural growth habit, tea olives don’t require pruning. The evergreen foliage of oval, … Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm EST 3705 New Bern Ave. Raleigh, NC 27610 Phone: (919) 231-6161 Fax: (919) 231-7688 Growth Rate. Growth Rate: When young it should be regularly watered, but it is drought resistant when well established in the garden. Open Mon-Fri: 8A-5P Holly tea olives will grow in all regions of South Carolina. Tea olives grow best in fertile, moist, well-drained, acidic soil. Growth Rate. Osmanthus fragrans (Sweet Olive) *Click on picture for more images of this species. The two spring blooming species – O. delavayi and O. americanus – should be pruned immediately after flowering. As an ideal plant for a tall hedge, this fragrant fall bloomer stands up to shearing very well. Growth rate of tea olives is slow to moderate, approximately 4 to 12 inches per year. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. The Osmanthus Tea Olive is a cold hardy shrub that blooms white fragrant flowers in the fall. Plant your Fragrant Tea Olive in rows 4-5 feet apart to create a lush, thick privacy hedge. The Osmanthus Tea Olive is a cold hardy shrub that blooms white fragrant flowers in the fall. Growth Rate This shrub grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 13–24" per year. Particularly useful along driveways and street side where reflected heat from paving and vehicles would wither less heat hardy species. Fragrant tea olives can grow as tall as 20 to 30 feet near the coast, although they are usually smaller, particularly in the Piedmont. Cooperative Extension prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and veteran status. Photo by Karen Russ, ©2007 HGIC, Clemson Extension. Growth habit of most species is dense and upright-oval to round in form. Tea Olive can be grown as a large shrub or small tree. An exceptional Tea Olive that we’ve grown to love. 1. Occasionally, scale insects could be a problem but can be managed well with horticultural oil spray. wayne.ces.ncsu.edu It has dense growth in an oval-rounded form. ‘Sasaba’ has uniquely twisted and extremely spiny leaves and grows as an upright pyramid. When planting Emerald Green Thujas, dig a hole that is just as deep as the root ball and … It does best when grown in fertile, well-drained, neutral to acid soil in both sun or … Forward any questions you would like answered from this week’s column to Jessica.Strickland@waynegov.com. A large evergreen shrub or small tree with a broad upright form that is densely branched and covered with finely toothed, dark green foliage. The fragrance of the flowers is often compared to the scent of peaches, jasmine or orange blossoms. Plant your Fragrant Tea Olive in rows 4-5 feet apart to create a lush, thick privacy hedge. All in person events have been canceled or postponed for the immediate future. Sweet Olive is a rounded evergreen shrub with delicate and fragrant white flowers that bloom in spring against glossy green foliage. All recommendations for pesticide use are for South Carolina only and were legal at the time of publication, but the status of registration and use patterns are subject to change by action of state and federal regulatory agencies. 1. It does not discolor in full sun. Description: Landscape Characteristics: Mature Size: 10' tall by 20' wide Growth Rate: Slow Form / Shape: Shrub Drought Tolerance: Moderate Flower / Fruit: White flowers in Fall Soil: Well-drained Foliage: Dark green, elongated leaves, narrow & spines are abundant and long Light: Tolerates shady & sunny conditions Growth Rate: It is easy to determine the difference between hollies and tea olives. Plants are upright when young, but can spread into a small vase-shaped tree at maturity. Growth rate is strongly influenced by soil quality and organic matter content, available nutrients, and water availability. Width is similar to height. The Tea Olive grows in zones 7 to 10, but can be patio grown or grown indoors in other zones with appropriate care and conditions. Copyright © 2020 Clemson UniversityClemson Cooperative Extension | 103 Barre Hall Clemson, SC 29634864-986-4310 | Contact UsHGIC@clemson.edu, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, Centipedegrass Yearly Maintenance Program. Foliage is dark, leathery, and usually toothed along the edges. Tea olives have both juvenile and adult leaf forms. Home Insteading With Cooperative Extension (Week 29), 21. Works well for formal or informal hedges and screens, or as a landscape specimen. Olive Martini Elaeagnus Care. They are long-lived and virtually pest free. Therefore, we recommend a well-drained container with a drainage hole(s) and using a quality potting soil or potting mix, or a 50/50 combination … Make sure your plant arrived healthily. If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at hgic@clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988. It has mildly fragrant flowers, which may be eaten. ‘Rotundifolius’ has leathery, non-spiny foliage. Blooming profusely from fall to spring, the large clusters of tiny, creamy-white flowers cover this densely branched shrub. Hollies grow best in sites with sun to part shade and well drained soil, and are drought tolerant once established. Dig a hole the size of the root ball. If you are looking to create a tea olive hedge for privacy, space these evergreen trees approximately 5-10 feet apart. This month’s plant spotlight is the tea olive, also known by scientific name as Osmanthus. Attention to feeding and watering will produce the fastest growth. This plant prefers full sun and moist, well-drained, acidic soil. Rounded foliage of ‘Rotundifolius’ holly tea olive (Osmanthus heterophyllus). They are moderately drought tolerant once established. Sweet Osmanthus should be grown in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil. Plant Olive Martini™ Elaeagnus in well-drained soil and water regularly until established. FAX: (919) 731-1511, We have several topic based e-mail newsletters that are sent out periodically when we have new information to share. The texture is interesting and attractive, but the plant should be handled with care. Looking for a specific person? Fragrant tea olive can grow as tall as 20 to 30 feet, but on average the height is usually more around 10 to 12 feel tall. Although adaptable to both sun and shade as well as any soil type, tea olive falters in bone-dry soil or when subjected to soggy ground. With the slower growth rate and dense foliage, tea olive trees are often used in the home landscape as hedges or screens as they are easily shaped. It is tolerant of alkaline soils, pollution, and part-shade. This is easily dealt with, because these bushes … Devilwood (Osmanthus americanus): This is the only native tea olive, growing in the wild along swamp margins and streams in the Coastal Plain. Constantly soggy soil can and often will cause root rot or other harmful or deadly plant diseases. Flowers of all tea olive species are intensely fragrant, often being compared to the scent of peaches, orange blossoms, or jasmine. Osmanthus delavayi (Delavay osmanthus, Delavay tea olive; Zones 7 - 9) is native to western China and grows 6 to 8 feet tall and a bit wider. New growth can oftentimes have a slight reddish hue, fading to the glossy dark green that remains year round. Koroneiki – An attractive smaller growing olive tree bearing large crops of small fruit. The products I use - https://kit.com/HortTube This video is a detailed description of Fragrant Tea Olive. This plant is used in hedges, screens, foundations, barriers, or as a specimen plant. Plant it in partial shade to full sun in moist, well-drained, acidic soils. Silvery new growth adds seasonal interest to this evergreen shrub. Plants accept pruning well and can be maintained as a hedge if desired. ‘Variegatus’ has striking dark green leaves with creamy white edges. COVID-19 Extension Updates and Resources ... More Information », Factsheet | HGIC 1083 | Updated: Jul 5, 2013 | Print, Sweetly fragrant, white flowers of Fortune’s tea olive (Osmanthus x fortunei) in appear October. The flowers of devilwood are relatively small compared to other tea olives, but open very early in spring and have the typical tea olive sweet fragrance. This Osmanthus has exceptionally long bloom period often for 2 months in the fall with scattered blooming through out the winter and even into the spring. Nutrient Dense Or Energy Dense Foods: Do You Know the Difference and How Important It Is to Your Overall Health? There are a number of cultivars. A smaller growing olive tree with a willowy growth habit. It appears you don't have javascript enabled. NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C.