When Does Osmanthus Bloom? Care Tips and the Price of a 10 cm Osmanthus Tree

Osmanthus is one of China's ten traditional famous flowers, combining greening, beautification and fragrance in one, and is both ornamental and practical. When does it bloom, how do you care for it normally, and how much does a 10 cm tree cost? Here it is all explained at once.

When does osmanthus bloom? Different varieties have different flowering periods

The flowering period of osmanthus is mainly determined by the variety, and the flower colors also differ: golden osmanthus blooms from September to October, with golden-yellow flowers; silver osmanthus opens at the same time, with white or yellowish-white flowers; dan osmanthus is slightly later, blooming in October, with orange-red or orange-yellow flowers; four-season osmanthus blooms a small number of flowers sparsely throughout the year, with flowers on the whiter side.

How do you care for osmanthus so it grows well? Remember 7 key points

Water at the right time: for potted soil, follow the principle of "don't water if not dry, water thoroughly if you do," and spray the leaves with clean water once a day. After Qingming, move it outdoors and water it thoroughly once; in summer, water in the morning and evening, and in winter switch to watering around noon so the water temperature is close to the soil temperature, avoiding sudden cold and heat, and never allow waterlogging.

Fertilize reasonably: osmanthus is grown mainly for its flowers, so it needs plenty of fertilizer. Apply nitrogen fertilizer 1 to 2 times during the shoot-growing period, and focus on phosphorus fertilizer before flower bud differentiation and flowering; before fertilizing, let the potted soil dry slightly and loosen the soil first to aid absorption, then water once the day after fertilizing.

Repot and change the soil: repot and change the soil once every 2 to 3 years, cut away some old roots and dead roots, line the bottom of the pot with a layer of river sand or vermiculite to improve aeration and drainage, add decomposed cake fertilizer as a base fertilizer, and press the added soil firm. For the soil, you can mix garden soil, composted manure and river sand in a 1/3 ratio each.

Pruning and shaping: use a combination of bending and tying plus pruning, preferably after autumn. For plants with a poor shape, cut off the entire top branches at the 2/3 or 3/4 point; thin out branches that are too dense; after flowering, cut off water sprouts, dead branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and dense, weak, thin branches.

Overwintering management: keep the overwintering room temperature at 0 to 5°C, with relative humidity of 50% to 80%. In winter, light in a cold room should be good, and before buds break in early spring, even more sunlight is needed; move it out after Grain Rain the following year, first placing it together in a wind-sheltered, sunny spot so it gradually adapts to the outdoor environment.

Disease control: common diseases include leaf spot, sooty mold, algal leaf spot, root rot and iron deficiency. For leaf spot, sooty mold and algal leaf spot, spray 0.5 Bordeaux mixture or 5% carbendazim 500 to 1000 times dilution; for root rot, keep the soil loose and breathable and free of waterlogging.

Pest control: common pests include sawflies, whiteflies, mites, long white scale and yellow stinging caterpillars. Sawflies, whiteflies and mites can be killed by spraying 40% dimethoate 1500 to 3000 times dilution; for long white scale, besides brushing them off by hand, spray 40% omethoate 1000 times dilution or 40% fenitrothion 500 times dilution during the first and second instar nymph stages.

How much does a 10 cm osmanthus tree cost? How do you identify the four main varieties?

According to the latest online market prices, large golden osmanthus, dan osmanthus and August osmanthus trees with a diameter of 10 cm or more sold off at osmanthus tree bases cost about 200 yuan each.

The four main varieties each have their own characteristics: four-season osmanthus is a clustered shrub form, with a low tree shape, short and dense branches, and new leaves that are dark red; it blooms in batches from September each year to March of the following year, with a relatively light fragrance, and common ones include Yueyuegui, Rixianggui, Daye Fodingzhu and Chiyesijigui; dan osmanthus is dioecious, with smooth light gray bark, orange-red flowers and a light scent, blooming from late September to early October, and includes Dahuadangui, Chidangui, Zhushadangui and Kuanyehong; golden osmanthus has a strong tree vigor and upright, tight branches, blooms in autumn, with lemon-yellow to golden-yellow flowers, a strong fragrance and no fruit set, and includes Dahuajingui, Huangchuanjingui, Qiugui and Liuyesugui; silver osmanthus has widely spreading large branches and dense branches and leaves, with many large lenticels shaped like snowflakes, blooms in early to mid-September, with milky-yellow to lemon-yellow flowers, a rich fragrance and no fruit set after flowering, and includes Zaoyingui, Wanyingui, Jiulonggui and Baijie. Master the flowering period and care methods, and the osmanthus at home will be fragrant every year.