How many varieties of osmanthus are there? Which one is the most fragrant and easy to grow
Osmanthus is one of China's traditional top ten flowers, and it is also a flower with a full fragrance. Many flower lovers grow osmanthus precisely for its rich scent, but many flower lovers only know how to grow osmanthus, yet do not know exactly how many varieties of osmanthus there are? Which variety is the most fragrant? Which variety is the easiest to grow? Today I will introduce them to you.
More than 100 varieties of osmanthus are currently known, divided into the major categories of golden osmanthus, silver osmanthus, four-season osmanthus, and red osmanthus. 1. Golden osmanthus: the leaf surface is uneven, the leaf margin is slightly wavy, with obvious backward curling, and the flower color ranges from lemon yellow to golden yellow. It blooms in autumn, has a rich fragrance, and the leaves are relatively thick. It has strong adaptability and tolerates shade. 2. Silver osmanthus: the flowers are whiter in color, slightly tinged with pale yellow, and the leaves are thinner than those of other osmanthus trees. The floral fragrance is light, and it prefers fertile soil and a warm, humid climate. 3. Four-season osmanthus: the plant is relatively short, with opposite leaves, a smooth leaf surface, and serrated leaf margins. The flowers are slightly white or pale yellow, the fragrance is lighter, and the leaves are thin. The biggest characteristic of four-season osmanthus is that it blooms in all four seasons, so it is also called monthly osmanthus. 4. Red osmanthus: the leaf surface is relatively even, the leaf margin curls backward, the flower color is the deepest, orange-red, and the corolla is slightly incurved; the fragrance is light.
Many people think that the fragrance of osmanthus is related to region, but in fact the fragrance of osmanthus has nothing to do with region; it is mainly related to variety. The order of fragrance intensity is: golden osmanthus, silver osmanthus, red osmanthus, four-season osmanthus. Therefore, according to the traditional variety classification, among osmanthus, golden osmanthus is the most fragrant. What people often call "ten-li osmanthus fragrance" refers to golden osmanthus. Moreover, golden osmanthus is also the fastest-growing variety among osmanthus and the earliest-blooming variety.
But among golden osmanthus there are dozens of varieties, and the most fragrant golden osmanthus variety is undoubtedly Chenxiang osmanthus. Chenxiang osmanthus is the most fragrant variety within golden osmanthus. In terms of difficulty of care, they are basically similar, and it is hard to give a specific answer as to which is the easiest to grow, as this depends on each person's level of understanding. Osmanthus has strong vitality and is very easy to grow. As long as you can grow other flowers well, you can likewise grow osmanthus well.