Fortune’s osmanthus is an artificial hybrid that originated in Japan well before the middle of the 19th century. It is presumed to be a cross of the fragrant tea olive ( Osmanthus fragrans ) and false holly ( O. heterophyllus ) . This hybrid was brought to Europe by German botanist and physician Philipp Franz von Siebold. The genus name comes from the Greek words for fragrant (osme) and flower ( anthos ). The species epithet honors famed 19th-century Scottish plant hunter Robert Fortune, who first introduced the palm to Europe. This plant prefers full sun and moist, well-drained, acidic soil. It is tolerant of alkaline soils, pollution and part-shade. It has a slow growth rate and seldom produces fruits. The plant is deer- and rabbit-resistant. Fortune’s osmanthus is a large dense, oval-rounded broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree. The leaves are shiny and dark green with a spine tip. In the upper part of the plant (adult morphology) the margins are entire, while those in the lower part of the plant tend to be toothed (juvenile morphology). This plant blooms in the late summer and fall and has inconspicuous flowers that have a pungently sweet aroma. The cultivar 'San Jose' was developed in California in 1934 by W.B. Clarke Nursery in San Jose, California, and was introduced in 1941. This plant is frequently utilized in hedges, foundations, screens, as a specimen plant, or pruned into a small tree. When pruning, keep in mind that next season's blossoms will appear on new growth. Quick ID Hints: Large evergreen shrub or small tree Stems have lenticels Opposite, decussate leaves, both toothed and entire Juvenile leaf is regularly spine-tipped, triangular teeth Inconspicuous white, fall blooms, highly aromatic Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant has no serious pest or disease problems. Scales and nematodes may be seen, and mushroom root rot may occur if the soil is too wet. VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I: Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II: Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University
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.
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
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Columnar; Dense; Erect; Mounding; Oval
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf value
Long-lasting
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are opposite, decussate, simple, leathery, lustrous, coriaceous, oval to broadly elliptic, acuminate apex, and have 9 to 12 marginal, triangular teeth on each side with a small spine or entire (on mature adult leaves). Leaves are dark green above and paler beneath. They are glabrous, 2-4 inches long, and 1.5 to 2 inches wide.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers are small, white, four-lobed, less than a 1-inch in diameter, and have 2 yellow stamens. They appear in clusters of 10 in the leaf axils and are often hidden in the foliage. The flowers are fragrant but not showy, and they bloom in the late summer and fall.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Blue; Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
This hybrid seldom produces fruits. If fruits are produced, they are ovoid bluish purple-black to black drupes that are less than 1/2" in size.
Bark color
Dark Gray; Light Gray
Bark detail
Some branches are gray.
Stem color
Gray/Silver
Stem detail
The stems are squarish, and gray, and have numerous brown lenticels.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Play value
Buffer; Fragrance; Screening
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Winter
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Recreational Play Area
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; English Garden; Winter Garden
Design feature
Flowering Tree; Foundation Planting; Hedge; Screen/Privacy; Small Tree; Specimen