Fragrant osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrant, Tea olive, Fragrant olive). Osmanthus - home care Osmanthus fortune home care

If for you something exotic, oriental or slightly ironic is heard in this word, then intuition did not disappoint. The emblem of the Chinese Hangzhou, the osmanthus flower enjoys well-deserved fame in Japan. There it is also called "tea olive", widely used as a means for the natural aromatization of this favorite drink. Fragrant osmanthus jam is served as a delicacy. Osmanthus grows mainly in Asia, it is a flowering shrub.

If everything is more or less clear with exoticism, then the touch of light irony that our person will catch in the name is introduced (unconsciously or intentionally?) Due to the main value of any flower - its aroma. But first, a little about the variety of colors.

Amber is more valuable

Four-fingered, collected in inflorescences, on long thin legs, osmanthus flowers have a reddish, silvery-white or bright yellow color. It is the latter species that is most widespread, which is not surprising: like the bright orange carrot, it contains a record amount of carotenoids. This means that it has the most excellent qualities. Among which the incomparable aroma is in the lead.

If you pay attention to perfumes containing osmanthus in their composition, their price will certainly be striking. And this is no coincidence: only expensive perfumery compositions contain precious osmanthus absolute.

And you can be sure of the sophistication and quality of such a fragrance. "Queen Sheba" and the incomparable "Layla" or a guarantee of that.

Why is the aroma of osmanthus so attractive and remarkable? And what does the irony have to do with it ?!

Imagine…

Before you is an amazing "live" still life: on a carved napkin made of natural suede, there is a bunch of violets and a crystal vase with fruit. Imagine the most ripe and fragrant apricot, filled with all the generosity of the southern sun. You easily break the fruit into halves, drops of juice appear near the velvety skin. One of them suddenly breaks down and falls on a napkin. But you do not notice, you continue to taste the fruits: blue plums with a matte bloom, ruddy peaches. Every now and then the sweet fragrant juice is torn from the fingers, and now the whole napkin has become spotty. The characteristic smell of suede is forever intertwined with fruity, and this, in all honesty, is so beautiful!

When you meet osmanthus, this very picture will pop up in your memory.

The East will not hide!

In addition to its main meaning, osmanthus in perfume serves to enhance the fruity principle, and can also impart a sensual suede shade to floral and oriental compositions.

The East, which has been treating itself to osmanthus tea since ancient times, showering newlyweds with fragrant tea olive, extracting the precious absolute from its amber flowers, willingly shares its aromatic secrets with the West.

Tea drinking is a special ritual that allows you to enjoy the aroma of a divine drink, relax, unwind, enjoy a friendly conversation over a cup of fragrant tea flavored with herbs and flower petals. One of the generally recognized leaders among aromatic and healthy drinks is osmanthus tea.

Osmanthus is an evergreen shrub with delicate small flowers and dark green glossy leaves. It belongs to the family of olive crops, and China is considered its homeland. The flowers of the plant are painted in a delicate palette - from light olive to cream and golden yellow. The flowering period lasts from September to April, filling the air with fragrance.

Osmanthus flowers are used all over the world. The inhabitants of the Celestial Empire, being true connoisseurs of aromatherapy, appreciate the fragrant shrub for its qualities and for more than two millennia has been widely used in many industries.

Why is the osmanthus flower so attractive?

The main advantage is a unique fruity aroma, delicate, subtle and, at the same time, quite persistent. Connoisseurs describe it as a mixture of ripe peach and apricot aromas and sweet, fresh baked goods. The taste of aromatic osmanthus tea lasts for a long time in the mouth after drinking tea.

It is not surprising that such a pleasant aroma is used in perfumery for the production of perfumes. He was given a romantic name - "the memory of the Chinese garden." Osmanthus essential oil is the most expensive and valuable oil among all the known ones. The chemical composition of the flower petals is able to affect the deep layers of the skin, prolonging its youth and freshness. That is why the Chinese have used fragrant olive in cosmetology since ancient times, and now it is an indispensable component in the production of cosmetics for the skin all over the world.

Useful properties of a shrub

Fragrant osmanthus (its flowers, stems and roots), thanks to a huge number of useful qualities, has long been used in folk medicine of the East:

Aromatherapy. Dried flower tea or infusion has a calming, relaxing effect, helps to get rid of anxiety and anxiety.
Cough treatment. The medicinal broth has a powerful expectorant, anti-inflammatory effect, liquefies and removes phlegm when coughing, is effective for whooping cough, indigestion. Helps with gum disease, stomatitis, boils.
A powerful antioxidant. Cleans the body, removes toxic substances, lowers the level of "bad" cholesterol. It has strong antiseptic and anti-sclerotic properties, improves metabolism, and promotes weight loss.

Contraindications

Like all medicinal herbs with potent properties, osmanthus has some restrictions on its use. In any form, it is not recommended for pregnant women and nursing mothers with epilepsy, children. It is also contraindicated for use in case of individual plant intolerance, manifestations of allergies and high blood pressure.

How to make osmanthus tea

The Chinese are true connoisseurs of all the intricacies of tea drinking. They treat "tea olive" especially with awe and know exactly what sorts of tea the aroma of fragrant flowers can be combined with.

An infusion of dried flowers of a plant in China is called "Gui Hua Cha". It is prepared separately, and then it can be added to black or green tea, or drunk as an independent drink, which has an unusually pleasant wonderful fruity taste and delicate aroma. Its miraculous qualities are manifested with any method of preparation.

Gourmets love to pamper themselves with osmanthus and jasmine petals for a surprisingly bright and rich floral aroma combined with the sweet taste of ripe apricot and peach fruits.

Gui Hua Oolong is a variety consisting of a mixture of golden petals of osmanthus and oolong, a semi-fermented green tea. Black pu-erh, which the Chinese call red, is also mixed with fragrant olive petals to create the unique, exquisite, aromatic Gui Hua Hong Cha tea. These two teas are ideal for blending with osmanthus petals.

Golden Gui Hua Oolong has a special tart fruity taste, floral honey aroma and sweet aftertaste, perfectly relaxes and soothes. Tea can be consumed cold, its taste only benefits from this. But you need to cool and insist in a tightly sealed container to avoid oxidation and loss of useful properties.

It is best to brew Gui Hua Osmanthus in a transparent teapot, following the movement of light petals, saturation of color.

Preparation of tea by the spill method: pour 5-7 g of dry mixture with 100-120 ml of water (90-95 degrees) and leave for 10-20 seconds. Withstands 7-8 straits.
With the European brewing method: take 3-4 g of the brew (1 tsp), pour 200-250 ml of water at 90-95 ° C and leave for 2-3 minutes. The tea leaves are used 1 time.

Red-brown Gui Hua Hong Cha with sweetish-tart notes in taste - tones up and invigorates in the morning, and relieves fatigue in the evening.

An exceptionally healthy and exquisitely aromatic tea will bring true moments of pleasure, cheer you up, restore strength, and have a beneficial effect on the entire body.

Damask rosa

Genus osmatnus ( Osmanthus) belongs to the olive family (Oleaceae), it includes about 30 species of flowering plants, most of which are found in warm Asian climates. In nature, these plants grow in a fairly wide geographical zone: from 36 to 45 degrees north latitude, from the Caucasus to Japan.

In the Himalayas, osmatnus can be found high in the mountains, for example, in Nepal, they grow abundantly in mountain forests along with holly (Ilex dipyrena) and castanopsis (Castanopsis spp), a type of chestnut tree on which medicinal shiitake mushrooms grow. The name of these mushrooms is derived from the Japanese words take - "mushroom" and shii - "castanopsis".

Among all types of osmanthus, it stands out brightly fragrant osmanthus ( Osmanthus fragrans), in another way it is also called tea or fragrant olive.

The family originates from China, there is even a region called Gui Ling, which means "fragrant forest" in Chinese. Osmanthus has been growing in China for several thousand years; the Chinese consider it one of the ten most beloved flowers.

A traditional symbol of romantic love, osmanthus is used in Taiwan in an ancient wedding ceremony. According to custom, the bride must bring to the new family osmanthus and pomegranate, which she has grown in a pot with her own hands. A fragrant plant in this case symbolizes love and fidelity, a fruit plant - peace and fertility, and together such a gift means that a young wife is ready to give birth to her husband wonderful children, and the family will be rich in children and grandchildren.

Many legends are associated with osmanthus in China, because its flowers, among other things, are a symbol of the Chinese festival of the moon, which is celebrated in September - it is at this time that fragrant osmanthus begins its abundant flowering, which can last until spring.

In the midst of the holiday, Chinese families gather in the garden or in the courtyard, eat traditional "mooncakes", and grandmothers tell old tales about the enchanted Chan E, the giant Wu Gang, the magical Jade Rabbit and the huge fragrant osmanthus that guards the Moon Palace.

Here's what ancient legends tell:

The tale of Wu Gan and osmanthus tells how the giant Wu Gang was punished by the Jade Emperor for his sin - he was insanely jealous. The emperor sent him to the moon, to the Guanhanyon Palace and gave him the task of cutting down the huge immortal osmanthus that grows in front of the palace. Cutting down such a colossus was a completely hopeless and practically impossible task, since. the tree possessed magical power - the severed branches immediately grew again. The endless competition stretched for thousands of years - Wu Gang chopped, and the tree not only immediately restored the damage inflicted on it, but also became even higher, wider and more beautiful. Finally, the tree grew so much that it completely covered the palace under its crown.

One of the most beloved characters in this tale is the Jade Rabbit, who pounds with a mortar the ingredients of the elixir of immortality, with the help of which osmanthus stays alive forever.

And the tale of the Moon Lady tells how the Jade Emperor decided to reward his best archer - to give him the elixir of life: a sweet scented pill. And his wife, the beautiful Chan E, decided to deceive her husband. She stole the pill while he was sleeping and, taking it, gained the ability to fly. She immediately took off into the air and kept flying and flying until she flew to the moon. There she became a prisoner in the cold Moon Palace, where she lived all alone. This was the punishment for her wrongdoing. It is said that sometimes, on a full moon, one can see how the Moon Lady, as Chan E was called, wanders sadly on the moon. And the beautiful fragrant osmanthus that grows in front of the Lunar Palace reminds her of ruined love with its wondrous smell and makes the repentant Chan E feel even more miserable ..

Only the Jade Rabbit, the only inhabitant of the Palace, became her devoted friend. From time to time, Chan Ae asks him to take a mortar and pestle and prepare a magic pill for her so that she can return to earth to her husband. But Rabbit is busy all the time, because he is preparing the elixir of immortality for the beautiful osmanthus, and the unfortunate woman is still waiting for her turn to finally come ..

Famous chinese gui hua cha- an infusion of fragrant osmanthus petals is an incredibly delicate and unique, slightly sweetish, aromatic drink that is drunk on its own or added to black or green tea. Even after drinking this fantastic drink for a long time, your breath remains fresh and aromatic for a long time.

Sometimes they just make fragrant tea, for which they mix it into tea leaves with dried flowers of osmanthus and jasmine (Jasminum sambac), and then close this mixture in a hermetically sealed jar for two to three weeks, after which it is brewed in the usual way.

The Chinese use sun-dried osmanthus flowers in their cooking, adding them to jams, soups, sweet biscuits, dumplings and even making liqueur from them. Jam with the addition of osmanthus is used in the preparation of chatang, a traditional liquid porridge made from millet or sorghum with sugar and jam, which is traditional in northern China.

In addition, a decoction of osmanthus flowers is a good cough remedy, compresses from a decoction of the bark are used in the treatment of severe suppurations - boils and carbuncles, it also helps with inflammation of the retina. Fragrant osmanthus is used in cosmetics as a product that nourishes the skin and hair. An essential oil is made from flowers, and the flowers themselves are an excellent remedy for moths!

Fragrant osmanthus first came to Europe in the middle of the 19th century. It was brought there by a French Jesuit missionary, an enthusiastic botanist Jean-Marie Delaway. (1834 - 1895) ... During his stay in China, J-M. Delaway described more than 4,000 plant species, of which 1,500 were previously unknown. Some of these plants now bear his name, including one of the osmanthus species.

Fragrant osmanthus, depending on conditions, can be a strong voluminous evergreen bush or even grow into a small tree. It has simple, opposite, leathery, shiny leaves that are jagged at the edges.

Very fragrant small white flowers with four-lobed tubular corollas (false petals) grow in small panicles. The wonderful scent of fragrant osmanthus flowers, a bit reminiscent of ripe peaches or apricots, can be heard from afar ..

The fruit of fragrant osmathus is a stone fruit (drupe), 10-15mm in size, covered with a dense dark blue or purple skin, there is one seed inside.

Osmanthus flowers are bisexual, that is, each flower has both male and female characteristics. Usually osmanthus bloom begins in September or October, lasts all winter and almost all spring, until April, and sometimes until May. Osmanthus does not bloom constantly, but in waves, in just a season it has from two to four waves of flowering.

The aroma of ostmantus fragrant is provided by the breakdown of beta-carotene and other carotenoids - hydrocarbons that are actively involved in the formation of leaf pigment.

Yellow, orange and red pigments act as antennas that absorb light and then transmit its energy to form chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll molecules, in turn, convert solar energy into chemical energy, which accumulates in the molecules of the formed sugar.

Usually carotenoids "hide" under the mask of green chlorophyll. And when chlorophyll is broken down, carotenoids give us the opportunity to admire the magnificent spectacle of autumn foliage. Carotenoids also signal that the fruits are ripe: tomatoes turn red, carrots and tangerines turn orange, yellow shades are typical for ripe pineapples and lemons ..

Beta-carotene is essential for vision. In the human body, its molecules break down into two molecules of retinol (vitamin A), which, in turn, turn into retinal, the pigment that allows us to see. It is carotenoids that make our world colorful. The whole warm spectrum becomes visible: we can see crocuses - yellow, flamingos - pink, and a rose - red. The breakdown of carotenoid derivatives gives plants flowers and leaves a smell, and fruits - taste.

So, for example, when beta-carotene is converted into beta-damascenone, consisting of 13 carbon compounds, the whole essence of the scent of the damask rose is revealed. V Crocus sativus Beta-carotene is converted into ten-carbon safranal, which gives the plant its characteristic odor and bright color, and provides its coloring power.

And in our fragrant osmanthus, beta-carotene turns into a 9-13 carbonaceous mixture, which gives the smell of osmanthus that sensual, "thirsty" note for which perfumers value it so much. You begin to smell this smell long before you see its source. At the beginning of the twentieth century, this nostalgic and delicate scent inspired perfumers to create perfumes based on osmanthus essential oil.

Osmanthus fragrans there can be not only white flowers . There are very beautiful hybrids : Apricot Gold with scented golden apricot flowers, Butter Yellow, butter-colored, Osmanthus fragrans f. aurantiacus , blooming all autumn with pale orange flowers , Orange supreme- very decorative osmathus with bright orange flowers. There is also a hybrid Osmanthus x futurae, which is distinguished not only by the delightful scent of its flowers, but also has an unusual shape of leaves, reminiscent of holly. Sometimes they call him that - fake holly.

Fragrant osmatnus is a wonderful plant, it can be grown equally successfully, both at home and in the garden. The plant grows well on light sandy soil, and on loams, and on heavy clay soils. It accepts acidic, neutral and alkaline soil equally well, it can grow even in very alkaline areas. In the first year of life, osmanthus, for the formation of a deep and branched root system, needs regular watering, but later the ground at the roots should not dry out. You can feed the plant with ordinary fertilizers in early spring, before the formation of young shoots. To give an adult plant a neat shape, pruning is done after flowering.

Fragrant osmatus grows rather slowly, but it is easy to grow it, He loves the sun and a little shelter, quite adaptable to the wind and cold, withstands small frosts. However, with prolonged sub-zero temperatures or more severe frost, it may not survive.

Osmanthus reproduces well with 7-12 cm cuttings taken from an adult tree in September-October. The cuttings are best placed for rooting in an unheated greenhouse or placed on a windowsill in a cool room. It is possible to plant rooted seedlings in the soil only after 18 months, in the spring.

You can reproduce osmanthus and seeds - the percentage of germination directly depends on the freshness of the seeds. Old seeds can also sprout if, before sowing, they are subjected to six-month stratification: three months warm and three months cold.

Seeds germinate within 6-18 months, and seedlings can be transplanted into an individual pot only after they grow strong enough for independent living. For the first winter, seedlings are best placed in a greenhouse or kept at home, and they should be transplanted into open ground at the beginning of summer.

By planting fragrant osmanthus at home, you will forever be relieved of the winter depression that this cold and dark season unwittingly brings up - after all, it blooms all winter.

With the wonderful scent of its flowers and a cup of fragrant gui hua cha, which is easy to make yourself by mixing good leaf tea with the dried flowers of your own osmanthus, you will surely feel at least a little happier. And, looking out the window, finding the full moon in the dark winter sky, smile like an old acquaintance, the Jade Rabbit, who is pounding and crushing his elixir of immortality ..

References:

Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London.
Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985
Bacciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 I
Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei.

The content of the article:

Osmanthus (Osmanthus) in translation from Greek - fragrant flower. In China, it has a different name - kinmokusei, tea or fragrant olive. Connoisseurs of beauty decorate their homes with this decorative, exotic shrub, both inside and outside their homesteads. When it blooms, everything around is filled with a very delicate, delicate aroma. In addition, the plant has more than just decorative uses. Its bark, leaves and flowers are used for health promotion, culinary, cosmetic and perfumery purposes.

Osmanthus is loved in different countries. Each country has its own traditions and legends associated with kimonkusei. The shrub has long been a symbol of love in Taiwan. According to custom, after the wedding, the bride brings home grown osmanthus and pomegranate to her new home. A fragrant bush is a symbol of faithful and long-lasting love, and a fruit plant is a symbol of peace and fertility. This gift from the bride means that she will love, respect her husband, and give him wonderful children. No less traditional and ancient holiday in China and Vietnam is the national holiday of the full moon. Osmanthus is a symbol of eternal life. The holiday is celebrated in September, when the bush begins to bloom. On this holiday, families traditionally get together. People walk all night, admire the moon, feast on yuebin moon cakes to which bush flower petals are added.

The bush, or kinmokuseya tree in its natural environment, reaches up to 18 meters in height. Flowers are collected in small inflorescences, bisexual, have both male and female characteristics. May be yellowish, reddish, reddish shades. The corolla of flowers are tubular, four-lobed. Fruits 10-14 mm - look like small olives. Leaves on a short stalk, pointed at the top. In urban apartments, the bush can grow up to two meters in height.

Osmanthus is widespread in Asia and the Caucasus. It was brought to Europe in the 19th century by the French botanist Jean Marie Delaway. This plant is from an evergreen genus of the olive family. The genus includes about thirty species. Some of the varieties:

Osmanthus berkwood, distinguished by an abundance of fragrant flowers, appears in the second half of spring.
Making osmanthus, white flowers grow on arcuate branches that bloom all summer.
Osmanthus forchuna, flowers are collected in small bunches, small teeth on the leaves.
Fragrant osmanthus, creamy, yellow and golden flowers, wide leaves, blooms all spring and autumn.
Osmanthus is variegated, it has inconspicuous white flowers, leaves with edges of different colors.
Osmanthus is finely serrated, has straight branches, oval leaves.

The use of osmanthus in various fields

Application in medicine. For the treatment of carbuncles and furunculosis, a decoction from the bark of kinmokusi is used in medicine. Tincture from the roots of the plant treats dysmenorrhea, rheumatism, bruises, etc. An essential oil is produced from flowers. This oil is added to improve the taste of herbal medicines. Osmanthus kidneys are used to make medicines that help with coughs and whooping cough. It is a natural antiseptic that relieves sore throat and sore throat. It is widely used in the form of lotions and tinctures for various diseases.
Cosmetic use. Osmanthus essential oil is widely used in cosmetology. The oil has nourishing, moisturizing, soothing, generating, anti-inflammatory properties, and is able to activate the skin to natural self-healing. It is very concentrated and penetrates into the deepest layers of the epidermis, therefore it smoothes even deep wrinkles. Kinmokuseya oil is used in the production of expensive face and body creams, masks and hair shampoos. The product is used for aging, fading skin. Also, the oil heals the skin prone to acne and inflammation. Shampoos and masks for dry, brittle hair are very effective.
Osmanthus in perfumery. Perfumers love kinmokuseya essential oil. It has a complex chemical formula. The smell is pleasant sweetish with subtle hints of fruit and skin aromas. It is part of very expensive perfumes of various brands, which are in great demand among perfume connoisseurs. Osmanthus oil is used as a repellent for clothing. It can also be poured into aroma lamps during aromatherapy sessions.
Cooking applications. The flowers of the plant are used as aromatization of black and green tea. Tea not only acquires a delicate and delicate aroma, but also has beneficial properties. Drinking this tea has a tonic and invigorating effect on the body, normalizes the pancreas, and improves digestion. Osmanthus fruits taste like olives, only smaller in size. They are pickled and eaten. Shrub flowers are added to various fillings and creams for cakes, pies, muffins. Sauces and soups are made from them. They make preserves and jams. Used in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages: liquor and wine.

Cultivation of kinmokuseya in personal plots

For outdoor cultivation, osmanthus is suitable for countries with warmer winter climates. In colder winters, the plant dies.

The composition of the soil can be varied; both sandy and alkaline soils are perfect. At the time of planting, several kilograms of compost must be placed in the groove.

Both after planting and every spring, you need to water the soil with liquid fertilizers. Watering should be abundant to form a good root system. To form a beautiful, green crown, after flowering, the bush is pruned.

Growing osmanthus indoors

Indoors, kimonkusses are grown in the form of a miniature decorative tree. Blooms rarely in apartments. Basically, its crown is cut for a beautiful decorative look.

A small container is needed for planting and better development. The container is filled with a mixture of turf, humus and sand.

Kimonkusi is placed in a bright place in the room. In the summer, it must be taken out to the balcony. In winter, it is kept at a temperature of 10-12 degrees Celsius.

In the summer, the tree is watered abundantly, in winter, watering is reduced. During the growing season, be sure to fertilize with a universal top dressing.

The plant can be propagated by both seeds and cuttings.

The prepared seed is sown in a moistened substrate. The soil is prepared in equal proportions of turf, humus and sand. Seeds sprout for a rather long time, from six to twelve months or more. A year later, at the beginning of summer, young seedlings are transplanted into open ground.

When propagating from a mature bush, during the growing season from September to October, young apical cuttings are cut off at a distance of 8-13 centimeters in length. The twigs are deepened into the prepared soil mixture of turf, peat and sand. Pots with cuttings are placed indoors and kept at temperatures up to twenty degrees Celsius. After about a month, new roots begin to appear. When the sprouts take root, in the spring, after a year and a half, they need to be transplanted into separate containers.

Possible osmanthus diseases, pests and control methods

The most common disease seen in kinmokusei is viral spotting. Honey honey fungus causes rotting of the plant root system. Insect pests that annoy kinmokuseya more often than others are scale insects and worms.
The most common shrub disease is viral spotting. Asymmetrical, dark spots appear on the leaf blades, the edges of the leaves can curl, osmanthus stops developing. Insects are the main vectors of the disease. It is extremely difficult to fight with the help of chemicals, therefore, they are fighting insects - carriers of viruses. Diseased leaves are cut and destroyed. Cuttings from diseased plants are not taken for propagation. Disinfection of equipment, steaming of planting material, or its replacement in containers is carried out.

A pest that affects the root system of a plant is honey honey. It causes osmanthus roots to rot. The difficulty lies in the fact that the disease cannot be diagnosed in the early stages, and it develops imperceptibly, since it begins underground. Mostly infected bushes die. Immediate soil disinfection measures need to be taken to prevent contamination of other plants in the garden.

The most common types of osmanthus

Osmanthus berkwood. Grows in China and the Caucasus. Reaches a height of up to 2 meters. It is considered a rare species. Differs in an abundance of fragrant flowers that appear in the second half of spring. The leaves of the shrub are glossy, dark emerald in color.
Osmanthus making. Reaches a height of up to 1.8 meters. Elongated dark green leaves grow on arcuate branches. The shrub blooms profusely all summer, with white tubular flowers.
Stretches to a height of 7 meters. The leaves of the shrub are elongated, have small denticles at the edges. Flowers are collected in small bunches. Loves a cooler climate. It blooms at intervals from 9 months to a year.
It can grow up to 6 meters in height. Blooms almost all spring and autumn. Various hybrids of scented osmanthus have flowers that are creamy, yellow and golden orange. The leaf plate is wide, with denticles at the edges. The intense scent of kimonkusei flowers spreads throughout the entire area.
Grows in Japan and Taiwan. Measured by 8 meters in height. The shrub has inconspicuous white flowers, fruits with an olive tint. The zest of the plant is in its leaves. The main leaf plate is colored light green, but framed by a border around the edge. When the leaves are young, it is pink, with the growth of the leaf plate it becomes beige or yellow.
Osmanthus finely serrated. Grows in western China. The branches can stretch up to 3 meters in height. The shrub has straight branches and oval leaves with very small denticles, often located along the edges. It blooms with small, white, fragrant flowers.

How osmanthus blooms, see this video:

Fragrant Osmanthus, Osmant, Fragrant Osmanthus, Tea or Fragrant Olive(Osmanthus fragrans)- a genus of evergreen deciduous flowering plants of the Olive family (Oleaceae).

Small, evergreen, subtropical tree, reaching 1.5-2 m in natural conditions.

This plant is still little known in Russia, but in China it has been grown for several thousand years and is appreciated for its marvelous aroma, beauty and useful properties. The Chinese call the plant kinmokusi and consider it one of their favorite flowers.

If this extraordinary Chinese flower settles in your house, then it will definitely bring you happiness and love. A cup of aromatic tea with osmanthus flowers will strengthen your health and cheer you up.

The foliage is bright green, glossy. It blooms in spring and summer with very fragrant, medium-sized, creamy white flowers, which, after fading, acquire a golden hue. Although, under favorable conditions, flowering can last all year. The sweet scent of flowers is so strong that you begin to smell the smell long before you see the flower itself.

Moderate growth, small size, attractive appearance and a strong gardenia-like, apricot-like aroma of flowers makes Osmanthus ideal for indoor cultivation.

Osmanthus prefers bright diffused light, suitable for growing near western and eastern windows. It can grow near the northern window, however, the plant may not have enough light, especially in winter, and the flowering will be weak.

The plant requires high humidity.

Osmanthus tolerates formative pruning quite well. Although, even without interference, the plant forms a beautiful crown of the correct shape.

Landing: The seeds are soaked for a day in warm water with the addition of stimulants. Sow into light neutral air soil, deepening by 1 cm (approximate substrate: 60% coconut soil or peat soil + 20% sand + 20% vermiculite), moisten, cover with a film and put on germination in a warm, bright place. The germination period is from 1 to 5 months, be patient. Throughout the time it is necessary to monitor constant humidity. Seedlings dive into separate containers in the phase of 2-4 true leaves.