Question re: Osmanthus Fragrans 'Fudingzhu'
romannyu
14 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (16)
yellowthumb
14 years agoDar Sunset Zone 18
14 years agoRelated Discussions
Osmanthus Fragrans Questions
Comments (16)Luis, I live in Texarkana and have 30+ sweet olives. No specific kind, just o. fragrans. The ones in the shade are blooming right now. I've got some in the sun, some in the shade. The sun doesn't seem to bother them at all (and mine are in full - all day sun), and I've never had any problems out of mine. Some didn't get much water in this drought we just had, and they did fine and are blooming more than the others that are near my roses and got watered once a week. The ones in the sun look better, because they are fuller. If you want them to be full, chop them down by 1/3 each spring (after they bloom). These things will bloom during all of the cooler months. If it's not over 90 outside, or freezing at night, they are blooming. GREAT PLANT. The soil here is red clay, very acidic, not rich at all. I've never had one die from anything, not cold, not heat, not even neglect....See MoreSweet Olive (Osmanthus Fragrans) Questions
Comments (9)I have a small one that I received as a rooted cutting last year. I have not fertilized it at all. It spent the fall, winter and early spring in front of a sunny south-facing window. The flowers were so tiny they were almost invisible, but the fragrance was incredible. It stopped blooming in mid-spring and I brought it outside. It has shown a little new growth and is starting to bloom again. I just checked your trades list and saw that you hadn't listed anything. I would dearly love to get a bunch of cuttings from you. Since the plants grow so lushly where you are, I was thinking that you could just make a bunch of cuttings from branches that overhang the sidewalk! (Don't get arrested.) Would you like some white tb irises? Pink gladiolas? Styrax japonicus? Loquat? I have lots of things I could trade. I just want to try to get some more plants and no one seems to be trading rooted cuttings or plants at the moment. Ginny...See MoreOsmanthus Fragrans leaf tip turned brown
Comments (25)I bought a one-gallon Fudingzu from Nurcar this spring. It grew right along over the summer. It responds to misting with new growth. Repeat, it responds to misting with new growth. I moved it to the front porch while my deck was being renovated, and neglected the watering. Leaves turned brown at the tips. Moved it back, resumed watering (and misting with the hose several times a day). It resumed new growth after several weeks. Left it outside til temps were threatening to go below 20, then moved it into the garage, which stays app 10 degrees warmer. Again, let it get too dry, since it was cold and dark out there. With the recent dip in temperature, finally brought it indoors to a sunny west window. Dropped a lot of leaves (too dry), but not all. It still has a nice form and plenty of leaves. Within a couple of weeks, set literally dozens and dozens and more dozens of buds, which are now opening. Butterfly's advice to flush salts out of the pot is very good. Osmanthus are said to react poorly to buildup of fertilizer salts. If you want new growth on your Osmanthus, please follow Mike's and my advice: mist the branches. Outdoors, you can just mist with the hose several times a day, til the branches drip. Indoors, maybe you can water it in the shower or tub, spraying the branches all over. I'm not sure why misting works so well with Osmanthus (I do it to my other potted plants outdoors as well). Maybe the humidity in its native habitat. But make sure, this really does work....See MoreAargh! Osmanthus fragrans needs winter dormancy??
Comments (6)Not sure who suggested what for an osmanthus, but "winter dormancy" would be an odd requirement for a plant whose blooming season is fall and winter! What I think was meant that o. fragrans blooms best in cool, humid conditions; it can take night temps into the high 30s, and needs good air movement to avoid buds blasting and scale and other pests infesting the leaves. Don't let the soil get soggy, particularly if the night temps are low, but don't let it get too dry between waterings or you'll lose flowers. Evenly moist is what I try to achieve. It's a fixture in most northern public gardens with greenhouses or conservatories, you'll always see it in a sunny location, often near the glass or a vent so it gets that cool, moving air. Moving right along to the stephanotis, it also appreciates a cooler period in the winter, but not lower than the 50s. It also wants to be dry, once a week is plenty. It grows in Madagascar in a climate with a dry season, and flowers are triggered by a colder, dry period followed by warmer temps and rain. I think a good general rule with indoor plants is to assume "winter dormancy" means cooler and drier conditions for 2-3 months during the winter when light levels are lower, rather than the almost total cessation of growth that deciduous trees and shrubs go through, which requires constant low temperatures -- that's why most temperate deciduous trees can't be grown indoors as bonsai, it's too warm to establish dormancy! Sorry for the long post, hope it helps! Jim...See Moremeyermike_1micha
14 years agosilverneedle
14 years agoUser
14 years agosilverneedle
14 years agoromannyu
14 years agogeo_7a
14 years agoromannyu
14 years agoUser
14 years agosilverneedle
14 years agosnasxs
14 years agosj_hotmail_com
13 years agomeyermike_1micha
13 years agoNadya
7 years ago
Related Stories
SPRING GARDENINGTop 10 Scented Plants for Your Garden
A palette of perfumed plants can transform even the smallest of gardens into a sensory delight
Full StorySponsored
More Discussions
Patricia Gollotti