Four Seasons Osmanthus Planting Methods and Care Tips
Four Seasons Osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans), with opposite leaves, mostly elliptical or long-elliptical, smooth and leathery leaf surface, with serrated leaf margins; it blooms in autumn, with flowers clustered in leaf axils, the corolla split down to the base, in colors such as milky white, yellow, and orange-red, extremely fragrant; the drupe turns purplish-black when ripe.
The flowers are slightly white or pale yellow, with a fainter fragrance and thin leaves. It is a variety of osmanthus in the Osmanthus genus. The biggest difference from other varieties is that it blooms all year round, meaning it flowers in all four seasons, so the Four Seasons Osmanthus is also known as Yueyuegui (monthly osmanthus) (besides being another name for the Four Seasons Osmanthus, Yueyuegui is also one of its varieties), but its floral fragrance is also the faintest among the many osmanthus varieties, with the floral scent being almost undetectable. The varieties of Four Seasons Osmanthus are further divided into Yuegui, Four Seasons Osmanthus, Fodingzhu, Rixianggui and Tianxiang Taige, etc.
Cultivation and Care
1. Soil preparation: Four Seasons Osmanthus grows well in loose, fertile, well-drained acidic soil. Generally, it can be prepared by mixing 60% broadleaf humus soil, 25% coniferous humus soil, 10% river sand or fine furnace ash, and 5% well-fermented pig manure or chicken manure.
2. Light: Four Seasons Osmanthus loves light. When grown indoors, it should be placed in a sunny and ventilated spot, maintaining 8 to 12 hours of light per day.
3. Temperature: Four Seasons Osmanthus loves warmth and generally grows well at 18°C to 25°C, blooming abundantly and with a fresh fragrance. If the temperature drops below 15°C, it enters a semi-dormant state and blooms less. It can survive the winter at 3°C to 5°C, but will not bloom.
4. Humidity: When cultivating Four Seasons Osmanthus, the potting soil should be kept moist but not waterlogged. Water when the soil is dry and let it dry between waterings; never allow water to accumulate, to avoid root rot or leaf drop. Especially during flowering, water should not be excessive, to avoid bud drop and affecting blooming.
5. Fertilizing: Four Seasons Osmanthus loves fertilizer. During the sprouting and bud-forming stages, apply more diluted fertilizer water containing phosphorus and potassium, so that the branches and flower buds grow robustly. Especially a few days before flowering, applying some diluted fertilizer water will make the flowers larger, more brightly colored, and more fragrant.
6. Pest control: The main pests of Four Seasons Osmanthus are red spider mites and white peach scale, which can be controlled by spraying pesticides.
2. Light: Four Seasons Osmanthus loves light. When grown indoors, it should be placed in a sunny and ventilated spot, maintaining 8 to 12 hours of light per day.
3. Temperature: Four Seasons Osmanthus loves warmth and generally grows well at 18°C to 25°C, blooming abundantly and with a fresh fragrance. If the temperature drops below 15°C, it enters a semi-dormant state and blooms less. It can survive the winter at 3°C to 5°C, but will not bloom.
4. Humidity: When cultivating Four Seasons Osmanthus, the potting soil should be kept moist but not waterlogged. Water when the soil is dry and let it dry between waterings; never allow water to accumulate, to avoid root rot or leaf drop. Especially during flowering, water should not be excessive, to avoid bud drop and affecting blooming.
5. Fertilizing: Four Seasons Osmanthus loves fertilizer. During the sprouting and bud-forming stages, apply more diluted fertilizer water containing phosphorus and potassium, so that the branches and flower buds grow robustly. Especially a few days before flowering, applying some diluted fertilizer water will make the flowers larger, more brightly colored, and more fragrant.
6. Pest control: The main pests of Four Seasons Osmanthus are red spider mites and white peach scale, which can be controlled by spraying pesticides.
7. Pruning: The canopy must be pruned to varying degrees to ensure a balance of water metabolism.
Key care points: Because osmanthus trees are highly adaptable and require only extensive management, they do not need special care. Their care can follow the methods used for other northern deciduous trees, but in daily care, the following points should also be noted:
- Although the osmanthus tree is highly adaptable, it does not grow well in soil with high salinity and alkalinity that does not drain easily. Such conditions not only affect the survival rate but also make it prone to chlorosis. This should be improved by replacing the soil with good soil and by adding sand to suppress the alkali. A large planting pit should be dug, with river sand laid at the bottom to block salt and alkali.
- The conflict between the water needs of trees and grass affects the growth of osmanthus trees. In landscape design, not only trees but also grass are planted in green spaces, and their water requirements differ. Osmanthus trees do not tolerate waterlogging, and after August each year, watering should be gradually controlled to prepare for overwintering, but lawn grass cannot lose water, otherwise it will wither. However, if watering continues until October, the root crown will suffer freezing damage, extending 30 to 40 cm upward from the root crown in a long triangular shape, with the bark turning black, dying, and sinking. This will also become an entry point for pathogens and pests.
1. Prune the osmanthus tree. Pruning can beautify the tree shape, balance the tree vigor, improve the environment, regulate the tree's ventilation and light penetration and the distribution of soil nutrients, adjust the relationships among plant communities, prevent natural disasters, reduce pests and diseases, improve the tree's vitality, and promote vigorous growth. Early spring pruning is a supplementary continuation of winter pruning, mainly to adjust tree vigor, and should be done as much as possible before the tree buds.
2. Plant the osmanthus tree in a timely manner. After the soil thaws, the good opportunity should be seized immediately, the seedling source should be secured, various preparatory work should be done well, and osmanthus trees of the same variety and specification should be selected for planting. When planting, the seedlings should be dug, transported, planted, and watered promptly to improve the survival rate. After bare-root seedlings are dug, they should be promptly dipped in mud slurry to protect the roots, ensuring the roots do not lose too much water during transport. After planting, care and management should be strengthened to ensure the survival rate