Fontanesia is a deciduous shrub or small tree in the olive family (Oleaceae) native to China. The genus name commemorates French botanist Rene Louiche Desfontaines (1750–1833). The species epithet honors famed 19th-century Scottish plant hunter Robert Fortune (1812–1880), who collected plants in China. Fontanesia will grow in nearly any consistently moist, well-drained soil in sun to partial shade. Once established, the plant has some drought tolerance and is winter hardy to USDA zone 6. In its native habitat, it is reported to grow to a height of 30 feet but It typically grows 10 to 15 feet tall in garden settings. It blooms with short panicles of white flowers in June–July. It is a tough, privet-like, durable shrub with glossy evergreen leaves ranging from 1 to 5 inches long that tolerates urban conditions and drought. Easily cultivated, this shrub can be used for screening or in a shrub border and cut branches will easily take root to form a hedge. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheSpiraea prunifoliaSpiraea x vanhoutteiSyringa persica
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 9 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
One to five inch long and one inch wide green leaves are opposite, lanceolate shaped, with apex long acuminate and entire margins. The plant does not display fall color.
Fall color
Insignificant
Flower color
Green; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle; Raceme
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
White four-petaled flowers in 1¼-inch long clusters of small blossoms from May to June or July. Individual flowers are about 1/6 of an inch long.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green
Fruit type
Samara
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
Thin, flat disc 3/8 of an inch long with winged margins that are green maturing to brown.
Stem detail
Tetragonal (four angles and four sides) stems in cross section.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
East Asia, Central and South China
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Samara
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Woodland
Landscape theme
Asian Garden
Design feature
Hedge; Screen/Privacy
Garden tags
#deciduous #shrub #upright form #hedge #flowering shrub #broadleaf #easy to propagate