Holly Osmanthus, Holly-leaf Osmanthus, Holly Tea Olive               oz-MAN-thus het-er-o-FIL-us

• Evergreen shrub, 8-10(20) ft, [2.4-3(6) m], dense, upright oval.  Leaves opposite, simple: may be juvenile (lower) holly-type with spiny teeth or adult (upper), which are simple, elliptic or ovate, 4-6 cm long, leathery, lustrous dark green above, yellowish green below.  Mature specimen may have mostly adult leaves.  Flowers, small, 6 mm acrose, white, fragrant, in leaf axils in autumn.   Fruit not usually produced in cultivation, slender, ovoid, 1 cm long, bluish-purple to black.
• Sun to part shade; prefers fertile, moist, well drained, acid soil, but tolerates higher pH soils.
• Hardy to USDA Zone (6)7,  varies with cultivar.     Native to Japan.
• A number of cultivars, including:
• ‘Goshiki’  -  new growth pinkish bronze, spiny mature leaves have a mixture of green, gold, and cream areas; grows to 5 ft high and 4 feet wide; listed as hardy to Zone 6.
• ‘Gulftide’  -  plant upright, dense, 10-15 ft (3-4.5 m) tall, slightly less width; leaves glossy dark green, spiny, but less so with maturity.
• ‘Ilicifolius’  -  O. ilicifolius is sometimes listed as a synonym of O. heterophyllus, but apparently a distinct cultivar is also available under this name; it is a bushy shrub with leaves that are deep green, glossy, and about 5 cm long; new growth is bronze.
• ‘Purpureus’  -  leaves dark purple when new, mature to green with a purple cast; considered one of the hardiest forms.
• ‘Rotundifolius’  -  slow growing dwarf, to 10 ft (3 m), bushy; leaves small (4.5 cm long & 2.5 cm wide), rounded, spineless.
• ‘Variegatus’  -  slow growing, after many year 8-10 (2.5-3 m) ft tall, dense; leaves green edged in creamy white, spiny; less hardy, Zone 7.
• Osmanthus: from Greek osme, fragrance, and anthos, flowers.    heterophyllus: with variable leaves.
• Corvallis: northwest corner GEM residence hall at Jackson Ave. and Kings Blvd, also east of Gazette-Times building on Jefferson, along sidewalk between 6th St. and parking lot.