Osmanthus heterophyllus holly osmanthus, false holly

Holly osmanthus or false holly is a taxon of evergreen shrubs and small trees native to East Asia, southern Japan, and Taiwan. The species bears evergreen, leathery, dark green, highly glossy, and thorny leaves, which resemble hollies, but something seems to be wrong for the more experienced eye: holly leaves are alternate while osmanthus leaves are opposite. Perhaps a negligible detail for someone, but this detail strongly characterizes the architecture of the branches as well as the whole plant. In autumn it blooms profusely with tiny, sweetly scented, snow-white flowers. If pollinated by a male plant they are followed by small, purplish black, non-toxic berries, but that happens rarely.

It naturally forms upright, slow to medium-fast (20-30 cm per year) growing shrubs of loose, somewhat irregular habit getting rounded with age, which can be easily maintained and shaped by pruning. Spring pruning enhances branching, summer trimming is great for shaping. The presence and quantity of thorns as well as the size of the leaves may vary with each clone and significantly decreases with age, i.e., mature plants have almost entire, camellia-like foliage. The twigs and bark are light gray and smooth.

Spine-leaved osmanthus has long been used as a natural barrier against wild animals and cattle. Another important advantage is that they are long-lived shrubs or trees, and we are not talking about decades but hundreds of years. There are records of specimens whose age was estimated to 950 or more years. In other words if located in an ideal spot it can be a plant that will be passed on by one generation to another. It looks great as an attractive evergreen specimen shrub or small tree, and does a good job as a hedge, too.

Grow osmanthus in moist but well-drained, humus rich, preferably acidic soil. Provide plenty of mulch for winter to protect the roots from fast freezing. It loves full sun but in colder regions find it a location sheltered from late winter and early spring sunlight but with plenty of light during the growing season. Use only plants with mature wood in zone 6 and transplant it no later than late summer in order to avoid frost damage after the first winter. It is perfectly hardy to -20 °C without damage, and to -24°C (USDA zone 6) with some sunscorch. It will withstand a few degrees lower with some wood damage but regenerates readily after spring pruning. It does not suffer from diseases, but vine weevil can be a problem.

Last update 11-03-2022