Ohhh yeah. Just got one myself :)

Just yesterday.

I just picked up a couple in portsmouth, va. Mine don't look near as good as eric's. They have little black spots (sunken)on the older foilage. Any ideas? They also had a daisy gardenia that I was interested in but this forum has given me a gardenia complex. That is my favorite. Nothing takes me back, to walkin round the yard with my meme, like the smell of Gardenia.

Eric, did you plant this outside in ground? I thought this does not survive outside in zone 7?

pay no attention to those gardenia threads full of drama, jorjaboy. most are trying to grow them in cold climates in containers. in your zone, plant them outside in morning to mid-day sun with afternoon shade. i'll bet they will grow for you.

That's awsome!

They are so easy to grow and smell sooo good when they bloom.
Does anyone know how to get them to bloom profusely. I get just a few here and there. I would love to see the whole tree covered with blooms...
Again, you will love this plant!!
Mike :-)

Hi everyone!

It's currently in a pot, and will likely be transplanted within ... I think about 3 years. Floridata has it to Zone 8 (actually survives some frost), and davesgarden to zone "7b" .... which probably means that it's right on the edge here.

It'll probably stay in a pot here, and I'll be shielding it from cold wind.

*sniffs plant*

:D

I was at a local nursery a few weeks ago where I came across an Osmanthus unlabeled. Or at least what looked like an Osmanthus because I could not believe that I couldnt smell anything from the flowers. It was disappointing, because I often read about how fragrant they can be, especially on this forum. But then again, I was a little sick and had a stuffy nose, but I had no problem smelling the star jasmines at the time. I am hoping that was just a fluke and I will encounter one that I can smell.

Thanks Jeff. Actually you hit the nail on the head. I bought this house 3 years ago and it already had 4 established bushes on the east side. They would be about 6 feet tall, right now, had I not cut them back to 4 feet last fall. Ever since, they aint been looking too hot. Showing signs of iron sclorosis, I think (yellowing with green veins), so I threw down a small carton of epsom salt. All are greening up now but one (the southern most in the row)but, none are budding yet.

Musaboru, I am also a little disappointed with the osmanthus that i just bought. They smell great but, only faintly and only when I stick the flowers up my nose. I have been searching for these all around my area and cant find any let alone any with powerful fragrance

Osmanthus can be a little inconsistent, scent-wise: sometimes it's strong, and sometimes it's more faint, even up close. Temperature, humidity, direct sun, how much water the plant's been given, etc., can all affect fragrance. It's also possible that plants grown from seed, as opposed to cuttings, will show different levels of scent. Finally, it seems that some folks just can't smell osmanthus very well due to genetic differences, just like some folks don't find the smell of skunk all that bad.

Keep sniffing until you find one that you like!

Jim

I'm in zone 7B and have two established osmanthus fragrans that survived outside in the ground just fine, despite two nights of 8oF. I also prune them mercilessly. They don't seem to care!...they just keep growing and blooming and filling the yard with an intoxicating scent in both spring and fall.

Zone 7ers, plant away!