Noble Lady Tea Olive

Osmanthus fragrans ‘Qiannan Guifei’

Other Names: Noble Lady of Qiannan Osmanthus, Qiannan Gufei Osmanthus, Sweet Olive

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7b to 9b (10?) Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub or Small Tree

Height at Maturity: 10-15′ depending on pruning, maybe taller without pruning

Width at Maturity: 6-12′ depending on pruning, maybe wider without pruning

Spacing: 6′ for solid hedges; 15′ or more for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Upright Rounded

Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: Small, 1/4″ in clusters

Flowering Period: September to April when temperatures are between 55 to 70 degrees F

Flower Type: Single, in clusters

Fragrant Flowers: Yes, extremely fragrant!

Foliage Color: Pink, White, Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Full to Mostly Sun, Morning Sun With Afternoon Shade, Morning Shade with Afternoon Sun. All day Filtered Sun

Water Needs: Average, Very Low when established

Soil Type: Clay (Amended), Loam, Sandy, Silty

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist to Dry when established

Soil pH: 5.5 – 7.0 (Acid to Neutral)

Maintenance / Care: Average to Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought, Dry Soil, Heat, Insect

Description

The most remarkable selection we’ve ever grown, the Noble Lady Tea Olive not only produces the heavenly fragrant flowers we love, it also has the showiest and largest leaves of any Osmanthus fragrans we’ve ever seen. New leaves emerge a deep pink in spring transitioning to lighter pink before turning to white and finally green. Flushes of new growth throughout the rest of the growing season will also be pink shades. The flowers are produced in fall, winter and early spring when daytime temperatures are ranging between 55 to 70 degrees F. This noble beauty serves well as a specimen shrub or as a hedge. As she grows taller, lower branches can be removed to form an outstanding evergreen tree perfect for use as a focal point in landscape borders or home foundation plantings. A stunning, sensory beauty that deserves a spot in every garden where it will grow (USDA Zones 7a-9b).

‘Qiannan Guifei’ in the scientific name can be translated to “Noble Lady of Qiannan,’ which is where it was originally selected and bred by Tan Zhi-ming in Jiangxi Province, China.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 8 to 16 feet tall and 6 to 12 feet wide depending on pruning, the Noble Lady Tea Olive can be grown as a large shrub or small tree. As a shrub, it is ideal for use as a colorful specimen, in groupings or as a hedge. As it grows taller, lower branches can be removed to form a highly attractive small tree for use as a focal point specimen in sunny to partially shaded landscape borders and home foundation plantings. A fine addition to fragrance gardens, cottage gardens, pink theme gardens and the Xeriscape (low water needs).

Suggested Spacing: 6 feet apart for a solid hedge or privacy screen; 15 feet or more apart for space between plants

Growing Preferences

The Noble Lady Tea Olive is very easy to grow in most any average, moist but well-drained acidic to neutral soil and full sun to mostly shade. We suggest at least 4 hours of direct sunlight per day or all-day lightly filtered sun for best flowering. Exceptionally drought tolerant when established. Since growing it in our gardens, we’ve seen no insect or disease problems and deer don’t touch it. As with many other plants, a constantly soggy or wet soil can be problematic. No pruning necessary however responds well to to it for shaping purposes, hedges or to tree form.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Tea Olive Osmanthus shrubs and trees.

How To Plant A Tea Olive

How To Fertilize A Tea Olive

How To Prune Prune A Tea Olive Shrub Or Tree

Plant Long & Prosper!

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