Sweet Olive ‘Fudingzhu’ (Osmanthus fragrans)
This new cultivar of
Sweet Olive is remarkable
for its large, fragrant
bloom clusters. It flowers
so heavily that the blossoms
totally encircle the
branches, and the leaves
seem to emerge from the
large bunches of white
fragrant flowers. Unlike
the standard Osmanthus
fragrans, a mature shrub
of ‘Fudingzhu’s’ flowers
are large enough to be
seen from several hundred
feet away! This
variety reaches flowering
size when only 6” tall and
flowers from September
to April. It can be grown outdoors in zones 7-9 and prefers full sun to partial
shade with good drainage and average moisture. It also performs well as a
container plant if grown in good light with cooler temperatures during the
winter months. ‘Fudingzhu’ translates to “pearls on Buddha’s head.” The
heady fragrance and magnitude of flower clusters will make ‘Fudingzhu’ one
of your favorite plants.