Fudingzhu enjoys full sun when the temperature is not too high and the air is humid.

More sun means more compact growth and more flowers. You can adapt it to full sun.

yellowthumb, thanks for the reply.

The reason I ask is one side of the plant looks like it was a bit scorched (dark curled brittle leaves). The people said it was in the greenhouse with a lot of sun. Perhaps I should start with partial shade?

Greenhouse growers will control the humidity and the sun carefully. They used shade cloth. Most of the time, 30 to 50 percent shade and high humidity is applied. The plants grow fast and tender this way. Also the leaves are dark green. When they are moved out to full sun with low humidity and high UV, sun burn will happen quickly.

Remember Osmanthus likes moist soil but hate wet soil. But the most important thing is Osmanthus like weak fertilizer. Always use caution when you fertilize. Get a bottle of seaweed kelp as a supplement. In China the best Osmanthus were grown using composted Pig manure tea. Disgusting but Osmanthus enjoys it.

Okay, I will adapt to full sun slowly.

The other wierd thing about this plant is that it's in a giant container, 16" and 7 gallons. I am not sure the nursery people really know what they are doing. Should I repot to something smaller?

Osmanthus has aggressive root system. The root mass is amazingly huge compared to other plants with fine roots such as Gardenia or Azalea. But 16" is way too big for 1.5 feet high plant, 10" sounds right. They may just potted it up. You can see thorough the drainage holes, check if there are any roots, or pull the plant slowly out of its pot. It may just has lots of new soil, then you run the risk of root rot, I would suggest you pot it down to one or two inches bigger than its root ball. If you can get a clay pot, that's the best. Osmanthus like cool roots.

Cutting grown Osmanthus don't have a tap root, or has lots of shallow roots. A clay pot that is equally high and wide is perfect. Azalea pot is good too. Some people make Bonsai out of it. But you have to use the right mix, try to use Al's 5-1-1 or gritty mix which hold little or no perched water table. If there are tons of new soil under the root ball, you better repot it. I only give it two inches of new soil under the root ball.

The osmocote for acid lover is perfect, just on the careful side. Use half dose and supplement with Seaweed kelp. You should be fine. When you make your mix, you should use some lime or gypsum depends on you choose 5:1:1 or gritty mix. Osmanthus hate too much fertilizers especially the chemical fertilizers.

Yellowthumb, YOU ARE RIGHT ON THE MARK WITH THESE PLANTS!

I have listened to everything you say, and mines are doing great.

I do have one question though? Do they have a tendency to loose branches at times and lower leaves? I am always getting fresh growth, but many branches die off to compesate. I am clueless..

I have actually planted mine right into the ground, and wiil uproot in the fall. What do you think? I have never did this before. Right directly into the ground. I figure the beneficial bacteria, good natural nutrients, and cool ground might make my plants explode...Any input?

Thank you so much and thank you for introducing me to these beautiful plants!

Mike..:-)

Hi Mike,

You are too kind.

Osmanthus will lose some lower leaves (older than 18 months or so) during or after the growth flush. But there should not be many twigs dying back. Some twigs dying back often happens in the center of the tree, which naturally opens the tree for air circulation. I always help to trim the inner twigs. But when there are too many twigs dying back, there are two things you should look into. One is root rot, but I don't think you would have this issue, you are expert on watering now, although Osmanthus enjoys being on the dry cool and moist side (go figure). Two is too pot bound. When there are not enough roots but sufficient nutrients, growth flush comes with losing older leaves and twigs dying back.

You can get away with it by planting on the ground, given that you have a cool and humid indoor environment. Hot and dry is a death sentence for Osmanthus indoors during winter. Not sure how much benefit by doing it. You could try to bury the pot into the ground and use a wick to help the drainage.

Thank you yellowthumb!

I would still like some of that smine tea if you know where to get it..:-)

Stay healthy, happy, safe.

MIke..:-)..

Yellow Thumb, about fertilizing, my potted Osmanthus (all 2) when put out new leaves, are a bit deformed and usually wrinkly. Pest issue asides, what do you think of this problem? Maybe they are being over-fed?

I fertilize with foliage pro (1/4 to 1/2 tsp per gal of water) +vinegar during each watering (usually I water once a week).

I hope you don't mind my help?

I feed mine 1/4 strength in a gallon at each watering, and mine are thriving right now..I don't concern myself with the vinegar on this one just yet, because I am not sure of the desired Ph with these plants..

I tend to think more on the lines of some kind of pest, or big temp changes..

In fact, the place where I bought mine has hundreds of these, and they feed their's a dose of Dyno Gro at every watering and they are luscoius!

Mike

Thanks Mike! I'll have a throughout pest inspection when my magnifier comes home this Thursday.
As you suggested, it could also be the changes in temperature, too. Since I keep mine indoor, I wonder if it's also from the lack of humidity as well?

Isn't this odd, my gardenia is thriving with green glossy foliage while the Osmanthus not so much. :) Thanks again for your help!

Sounds like a spider mites problem if the leaves are expanding instead of dropping. 1/4 tsp per gallon is unlikely to cause any fertilizer burn unless you never flush your pot.

Another typical cause of wrinkled and deformed leaves is the combination of high temperature and the low humidity. The leaves are small, thick and wrinkled.

What a great discussion! I have just purchased some Tea Olives and would like to train some of them into trees.
I have seen pictures of mature trees with a single trunk that are stunning, but all of my young trees have multiple trunks. I'm guessing many people just use them as a hedge, and so this is not an issue.
Is anyone else attempting to prune them into single trunk trees? If so, what pruning guidelines are you following?

Also a question about sources for buying these trees. There aren't that many varieties available for some reason. I've found that nurseries don't even bother to put the variety, just labelling them Osmanthus fragrans, and are usually the ones with white flowers. Maybe they are the best adapted to the U.S. southern regions, but I wonder if it's possible to get some of the more 'exotic' varieties like these orange/red ones -

Osmanthus fragrans "zao hong" Early Red"
O Fragrans "Zhuangyuan Hong Gui" First Red"

I live in central Tx., zone ranges between 8 and 9 with intensely hot summers. Our soils are more alkaline than in east Tx. and the weather more dry as well (about 28-30" rain in a 'normal' year). The tea olives are going to be planted in a sandy loam or chocolate soil that drains very nicely but doesn't retain a lot of moisture.

Bump!!

Please, I would like to know myself..:-)

Mike