Osmanthus heterophyllus

• BOTANICAL NAME: Osmanthus heterophyllus
• PRONUNCIATION:
  os-MAN-thus het-er-OFF-a-lus
• COMMON NAME: False Holly
• FAMILY: Oleaceae
• NATIVITY: Japan
• GROWTH HABIT: Dense, upright, rounded shrub.
• SIZE: 8-15' tall, 8-10' spread
• HARDINESS: Zone 7 - 9
• CULTURE: Full to part sun, moist, well-drained soil.  Tolerates significant pruning.
• LANDSCAPE USE: Dense growth makes it excellent for barriers, screens, or hedges.  Also useful as a formal specimen plant. Seems to do well in urban settings.
• FOLIAIGE: Opposite, ovate to elliptic-oblong, spinose, 1 - 2 1/2" long, leathery, lustrous dark green above, yellow-green beneath with reticulate venation.
• BARK: Light brown with small, raised lenticels.
• FLOWERS: White, 1/4" wide, in clusters of 4-5, strongly fragrant.
• FRUIT: 3/8 to 1/2" long blue-black drupes, rare in cultivation.
• PROPAGATION: Cuttings.
• PESTS: None serious.
• CULTIVARS:
  • 'Aureomarginatus' - Yellow leaf margins
  • 'Variegatus' - Off-white leaf margins