Burkwood osmanthus

Burkwood osmanthus: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Compact, rounded, dense shrub 2–2.5 m high and as wide; slow-growing.

Leaves

Small, oval, 2–4 cm, leathery and glossy dark green with a finely toothed edge, in opposite pairs.

Flowers

White, tubular flowers of about 1 cm, in clusters in the leaf axils, in April–May.

Scent

Sweet and powerful, especially on mild, still days.

Flowering: April–May · Plants: April–May and September–October · Pruning: May

Why grow it?

• Strongly scented white flowers in April, one of the sweetest-smelling spring shrubs.
• Evergreen and dense: a handsome hedge or topiary shape all year round.
• Bees find nectar in it in spring.
• Grows in sun, partial shade and shade.
• Slow-growing: one trim a year is enough.
• Takes clipping well and is an alternative to box.

Burkwood osmanthus: where does it grow best?

• Sun, partial shade or shade; it flowers most freely in sun.
• Any well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Moist but not wet; avoid soil that stays wet for long.
• Sheltered from cold, dry east winds, which can scorch the leaves.
• For a hedge, 2–3 plants per metre; as a specimen, allow 2–2.5 m of space.

Light

Sun, partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

2.5 m tall, 2.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Tulips: Colour in front of the dark green shrub while it is in flower.
• Lenten rose: Flowers earlier, in the same partial shade.
• Ferns: A fresh underplanting in the shade.
• Hydrangea: Takes over the flowering in summer.

Burkwood osmanthus: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September–October.

1. Plant in April–May or September–October.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in compost.
3. For a hedge: dig a trench and plant 35–50 cm apart.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot and firm the soil well.
5. Water in generously straight away, then weekly in dry spells during the first year.
6. Spread a mulch of leaf mould around the base.

Care

Watering

Weekly in dry spells during the first year. Even in a dry winter an evergreen shrub sometimes needs water.

Feeding

Some compost or organic feed in April.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould in spring keeps the soil cool and moist.

In a pot

It can stay in a large pot for years. Water regularly and repot every 3 years into fresh potting compost.

Tip: Plant it by a path, a seating area or the front door: you will smell the flowers every time you walk past in April.

Burkwood osmanthus: when to prune it?

Pruning months: May.

When: Straight after flowering, in May. It flowers on the previous year’s wood, so pruning later costs flowers.

How:

• Trim the shrub or hedge into shape with secateurs or a hedge trimmer; the small leaves tolerate a hedge trimmer well.
• Remove dead and crossing branches.
• An overgrown shrub tolerates hard pruning; it shoots again slowly but reliably.
• Keep a hedge slightly wider at the bottom than at the top.

Caution: Do not prune in autumn or winter: you would remove the flower buds for the following spring.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–August: cuttings of 10 cm, lower leaves removed, in moist cutting compost under plastic or in a cold frame. They root slowly but reliably.

Layering

In spring, pin a low branch into the soil; sever and transplant it after a year.

Burkwood osmanthus: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy to about −20 °C: no problem in most Belgian winters.
• In hard winters, cold, dry east winds can scorch the leaves; a sheltered spot helps.
• In a pot: stand it against a wall and wrap the pot in hessian.
• During a long, dry frosty spell, water on a frost-free day.

Diseases and pests

• Scale insects: Small brown scales on the leaves and stems, sometimes with sticky leaves. Remove them with a soft brush and a little soapy water.
• Brown leaves: Caused by cold winds or hard frost. Cut them off after flowering; the shrub will shoot again.
• Few flowers: Caused by pruning at the wrong time or by deep shade. Prune only straight after flowering.
• Root rot: Yellow leaves and a sickly plant in wet soil. Ensure good drainage.

Through the year

• April: Scented flowers. Planting. Spread compost.
• May: End of flowering. Prune straight after flowering. Planting.
• June: Water young plants in dry spells.
• July: Take semi-ripe cuttings.
• August: Take cuttings. Water in dry spells.
• September: Planting.
• October: Planting.
• December: Rest. An evergreen hedge in the winter garden.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name Osmanthus comes from the Greek words osme (scent) and anthos (flower): a scented flower.
• It is named after the English Burkwood nursery, where it was raised. It was first called × Osmarea burkwoodii, because one of its parents was then placed in the genus Phillyrea.
• It belongs to the same family as the olive, privet and jasmine.