Where Is Osmanthus Native? A Guide to the Four Major Cultivar Groups

Osmanthus is a tree of the genus Osmanthus, with a great many varieties, the most representative being Jingu (gold osmanthus), Yingu (silver osmanthus), Dangui (orange osmanthus) and Yuegui (laurel), among others. Osmanthus is also one of China's ten traditional famous flowers, with a sweet fragrance that greets the nose and carries for ten li. So, where is osmanthus native? What are the four major cultivar groups of osmanthus? Let's find out together!

I. Where is osmanthus native?

Osmanthus is native to the eastern section of the Himalayas in southwestern China, and is also distributed in India, Nepal and Cambodia. Wild osmanthus grows in southwestern China, Sichuan, southern Shaanxi, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Henan and other places. It is now widely planted in the Huai River basin and areas to the south; its suitable growing range reaches north to the lower reaches of the Yellow River and south to tropical regions such as Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan, and it has formed several nationally famous commercial osmanthus production bases in Lu'an, Anhui; Xianning, Hubei; Taoyuan, Hunan; Suzhou, Jiangsu; Guilin, Guangxi; Wuhan, Hubei; Hangzhou, Zhejiang and Chengdu, Sichuan.

II. What are the four major cultivar groups of osmanthus?

1. The Four-Season Osmanthus cultivar group

The four-season osmanthus grows as a clumping shrub, relatively low in form, with short and dense branches and a round, spherical crown. New leaves are dark red, while mature leaves are green or yellow-green. The leaves are elliptical to broadly ovate. Flower buds are usually borne singly or in clusters of 2-3, blooming in batches from September each year to the following March. Its fragrance is relatively delicate, not as rich as that of silver osmanthus, gold osmanthus or orange osmanthus. Common cultivars of the four-season osmanthus include large-leaf four-season osmanthus and small-leaf four-season osmanthus; cultivars that bloom in all four seasons include Yueyuegui, Rixianggui, large-leaf Fodingzhu and toothed-leaf four-season osmanthus, among others.

2. The Dangui (orange osmanthus) cultivar group

Dangui is dioecious, with a round, spherical crown and light gray, relatively smooth bark. The leaves are leathery, long elliptical or elliptical, with a relatively flat surface and a blunt or short-pointed tip; the netted veins are distinct on both sides, and the petiole is 8-10 mm long. The flowers are orange-red, the corolla is slightly incurved, and the fragrance is light. The flowering period runs from late September to early October. Cultivars include Dahua Dangui, Chi Dangui, Zhusha Dangui and Kuanye Hong, among others.

3. The Jingu (gold osmanthus) cultivar group

Jingu has a round, spherical crown, with a vigorous, strong tree habit and upright, very dense branches. The bark is gray with round or elliptical lenticels. The leaves are dark green and elliptical. The flowers are yellow with a strong fragrance, and the tree does not bear fruit. It blooms in autumn, with flowers ranging from pale lemon-yellow to golden yellow. Jingu cultivars include Dahua Jingu, Daye Huang, Huangchuan Jingu, Wan Jingu, Yuanye Jingu, Xianning Wan Gui, Qiu Gui, Yuanbian Jingu, Liuye Sugui, Jinshi Gui and Boye Jingu, among others.

4. The Yingu (silver osmanthus) cultivar group

Yingu has a round, spherical crown with widely spreading large branches and dense foliage. The bark is light gray with numerous large lenticels. The leaves are green or dark green, long elliptical or elliptical, relatively broad and thick, with a flat surface. Yingu blooms around early September, with flowers from creamy yellow to lemon yellow and a rich fragrance. Yingu cultivars include Kuanye Zi Yingu, Liuye Yingu, Yingye Yingu, Zi Yingu, Jiulong Gui, Zao Yingu, Wan Yingu, Baijie, Chunbai Yingu and Qingshan Yingu, among others.

The above is the introduction compiled for you by the Tuliu.com editor on where osmanthus is native and what the four major cultivar groups of osmanthus are. We hope it helps you!