When does osmanthus bloom? How should you care for it so it grows well?

Osmanthus is one of China's ten traditional famous flowers. Its fragrance is fresh and sweet, carrying its scent for miles and lifting the spirits. So, when does osmanthus bloom? How should you care for it so it grows well? Let's find out together!

1. When does osmanthus bloom?

Osmanthus will not bloom before it reaches flowering age. It is long-lived, generally living for decades to several hundred years, and some even live for a thousand years, so its flowering age is also relatively late. Seed-grown seedlings take about ten years to bloom, cuttings take four years to bloom, grafted golden osmanthus and silver osmanthus have one fifth blooming the following year, and although grafted four-season osmanthus blooms in the same year, the number is very small. Some transplanted large osmanthus trees can bloom in the same year, while others need one or two years to adapt before blooming. Different varieties of osmanthus bloom at different times, and the flower colors differ as well. Below are the flowering periods of different osmanthus varieties.

1. Golden osmanthus blooms from September to October, with golden yellow flowers

2. Silver osmanthus also blooms from September to October, with white or yellowish-white flowers

3. Orange osmanthus blooms in October, with orange-red or orange-yellow flowers

4. Four-season osmanthus has a small number of flowers every month, with white flowers

In addition, different planting regions also cause slight differences in flowering time. In Shanghai, Anhui and Jiangsu it basically blooms in October; in the Northeast area it basically blooms in August; in the Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei area it is September; in the Sichuan, Guangxi and Shaanxi area it blooms in September.

2. How should you care for osmanthus so it grows well?

1. Water at the right time

For potted osmanthus, follow the principle of not watering until the soil is dry, and watering thoroughly when you do. However, spray the leaves with clean water once a day. After Qingming Festival, move the osmanthus outdoors and water it thoroughly once. In summer, water in the morning and evening; in winter, water around noon so the water temperature is close to the soil temperature and there is no sudden cold or heat. Be careful not to let water accumulate.

2. Fertilize reasonably

Osmanthus is mainly grown for its flowers, so it should be given sufficient fertilizer. During shoot growth, apply nitrogen fertilizer 1-2 times; before flower bud differentiation and flowering, mainly apply phosphorus fertilizer. Before fertilizing, the potting soil should be slightly dry, and it is best to loosen the soil first to aid fertilizer absorption. On the second day after fertilizing, water once.

3. Repot and change the soil

Osmanthus should be repotted and have its soil changed once every 2-3 years. Cut away part of the old roots and dead roots, line the bottom of the pot with a layer of river sand or vermiculite to improve aeration and drainage, and place decomposed cake fertilizer as a base fertilizer. When filling with soil, be sure to press it firm. The soil ratio is not very strict; usually it can be made from garden soil, composted manure and river sand, each accounting for 1/3.

4. Pruning and shaping

If you want osmanthus to grow well, pruning and shaping are also needed. Osmanthus shaping generally uses a combination of bending and pruning, and is best done after autumn. For plants with a very poor tree shape, the entire top branches can be cut off at 2/3 or 3/4 of the height. For plants with overly dense branches, thin them out. After flowering, also cut off excessive growth branches, dead branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and dense weak branches.

5. Overwintering management

For overwintering osmanthus, the room temperature should be kept at 0-5 degrees, and relative humidity should be kept at 50-80%. In winter, the cold room should have good light, especially in early spring before the buds begin to sprout, when even more sunlight is required. The following year, after Grain Rain, arrange for the potted osmanthus to be moved outside. After moving out, first place them together in a wind-sheltered, sunny spot outdoors so they gradually adapt to the external environment.

6. Disease control

Common diseases of osmanthus include leaf spot, sooty mold, algal leaf spot, root rot and iron deficiency. Leaf spot, sooty mold and algal leaf spot can be controlled by spraying 0.5 Bordeaux mixture or 5% carbendazim at 500-1000 times dilution. For root rot, take care to keep the soil loose and breathable, and do not let water accumulate.

The above is a little information on when osmanthus blooms and how to care for osmanthus so it grows well. I hope it can help you!