Sweet olive (Osmanthus fragrans) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Sweet olive is an evergreen shrub grown in gardens in the southeastern United States. Its tiny white or pale flowers have an apricot-like scent. It is also called fragrant tea olive.

Appearance

Growth form: This evergreen shrub commonly reaches 10–20 ft (3–6 m) in gardens.
Leaves: Glossy, dark green leaves grow in opposite pairs and may have fine teeth or smooth edges.
Flowers: Tiny white or pale flowers cluster where leaves meet the stems and have an apricot-like scent. The orange-flowered variety also belongs to this species.
Flowering time: In North Carolina gardens, it flowers in early spring and again in fall.
Fruit: The fruit is a small, dark blue to black .

Look-alikes

false hollyOsmanthus heterophyllus

Young false holly leaves often have a few sharp, triangular teeth. Sweet olive leaves have smooth edges or much finer teeth, though mature false holly leaves can also be smooth.

Why they get mixed upBoth are evergreen shrubs with fragrant, pale flowers.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Southern gardens
hedges
patios
Range: It is native to parts of Asia and grown as an ornamental in the southeastern United States.
Preferred conditions: In North Carolina, it grows in sun or partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. It is suited to 8–11.

Name and classification

About the name: The orange-flowered variety is called Osmanthus fragrans var. aurantiacus, and the white-flowered variety Osmanthus fragrans var. fragrans.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: Gardeners place it near paths or patios to enjoy the scent.
Its dried flowers are used to scent tea in East Asia.

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