skip to main content

Help identify very fragrant tree

16 years ago

When I lived in Southern California, evern spring and fall, a certain type of tree bloomed some sort of flower that made the MOST amazing sweet fragrance. I would love it if someone could tell me what this tree is (so I can buy a few and plant in my yard!). All I can really remember is that it was a 'normal/large' sized tree with small-to-medium leaves, and the flowers almost appear like buds and I *think* they were small white flowers. What I remember most is that they are ALL over Beverly Hills and there's a couple by the beach in La Jolla, and that they give off this wonderful fragrance each spring. I just smelled one today in Charlotte, NC, but couldn't see where the tree was. Any ideas anyone? I would really appreciate and help! Thanks!

Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
could there be a CA forum ...

otherwise.. daphne comes to mind.. though i have no clue to what grows in your part of the world ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: google images
Dibbit
16 years ago
Daphnes tend to be small - the largest one I have seen was about7' tall - not a "normal/large" sized tree. Other than that, sorry, I'm no help.
Related Discussions
Very fragrant tree with early summer blooms
Q
Comments (6)
Well, that would also explain the wide use in this area, home of General Electric and in the proximity of the Mohawk/Hudson rivers which have been subjected to PCB contamination by them. It is a wonderfully potent scent and I am interested to see what the herbal tea is like. I thank you kindly for your help and the interesting background information! Enjoy your weekend! Oh and by the way, the first picture you posted in the carnivorous plants heading, strikes me as a thick-leaved sundew. No, clue on the second, but if you strike out here, there are a number of Facebook pages with a concentration on Australian flora that may be able to assist you.
...See More
Identifying a very fragrant tree
Q
Comments (3)
Not a good tree for gardens - invasive, suckering roots sending up thorny suckers all over the place, and brittle branches. True the flowers are nicely scented, but they only last for a couple of weeks. To deal with smells, the best thing to do is find the source of the smell, and take action to stop it from continuing. If a leaky sewer, get it repaired; if a factory, report in to the pollution control inspectorate. If it really isn't stoppable, then look for trees and shrubs with scented foliage, as they will provide scent year-round, not just for a short flowering season. Pines, Spruces, Firs, Thujas, and similar. But I suspect you'll need some large areas planted to be at all effective. Resin
...See More
trying to identify a very fragrant tree
Q
Comments (3)
No. I have no clue about the name. However it seems that the similar fragrant trees are planted near UC Berkeley and also at 16 Ave.of Richmond District, San Francisco( as Street Tree). After flowering a cluster of seeds will be formed.
...See More
Help ID Very Fragrant dark pink rose
Q
Comments (6)
Very hard to tell from that picture, Takate. Do you have any pictures of it on the plant and in different stages of bloom?
...See More
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
jasmine ... link says it grows in la jolla ... again.. not listed as a large tree ...

you might email a florist in the area.. and ask if they might know

http://www.google.com/search?q=fragrant+flowers+near+beach+in+La+Jolla&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=Iwd&start=10&sa=N

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link
tsheehan7
16 years ago
That sounds like a fragrant tea olive - osmanthus fragrans. Smells almost like bubble-yum bubblegum. They're really more like a shrub when they're small but you can limb them up into tree form. They grow to maybe 25 ft tall. Green, slick leaves with tiny white buds. You can smell them from a mile away and they're the best smelling thing I've ever smelled outside. Honeysuckle, jasmine, etc. don't even come close to the scent of a fragrant tea olive.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
Osmanthus fragrans was my first thought, too. Mine is blooming like crazy right now.

Sign Up to Comment

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Ceanothus Pleases With Nectar and Fragrant Blooms

West Coast natives: The blue flowers of drought-tolerant ceanothus draw the eye and help support local wildlife too

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Bauhinia Lunarioides Perfumes the Garden With Its Fragrant Flowers

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Bees and butterflies flock to this Texas shrub’s white and pink flowers in spring and summer

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Plants for a Deliciously Fragrant Fall Garden

Scent the autumn air with the perfume of caramel corn, honey and spices by adding these intoxicating plants to your landscape

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Backyard Birds: How to Identify Two Common Woodpeckers

By Habitat Network

Downy and hairy woodpeckers have similar coloration and behavior. But there are two big differences that separate them

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Captivating Roses for an Alluringly Fragrant Garden

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Perfume your garden with aromas from richly spicy to lightly sweet, without sacrificing an inch of color

EDIBLE GARDENS How to Add an Apple Tree to Your Edible Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

Readily available, beautiful and fragrant, apple trees offer four-season interest along with crisp, juicy fruit

ORGANIZING Help for Whittling Down the Photo Pile

By Jennifer Phelps: Organize. Design. Reinvent!

Consider these 6 points your personal pare-down assistant, making organizing your photo collection easier

LIFE Decluttering — How to Get the Help You Need

By Alison Hodgson

Don't worry if you can't shed stuff and organize alone; help is at your disposal

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Help Monarchs and Other Butterflies by Planting Common Milkweed

By Pollination Press LLC

Summer-blooming Asclepias syriaca is an important larval host plant for the monarch butterfly and attracts a number of pollinating insects

DECLUTTERING Downsizing Help: How to Edit Your Belongings

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Learn what to take and what to toss if you're moving to a smaller home

Sponsored

Shylee Grossman Interiors

Industry Leading Interior Designers & Decorators in Franklin County

More Discussions

1000+ yr old English oak

4

Spring for your fig tree

7

Enormous silver maple

3

Weeping White Spruce Growth

15

What do you think is wrong with my tree? And how can I save it?

0