Osmanthus

Osmanthus - Handsome evergreen shrubs, few hardy in our islands,

The Osmanthuses may all be propagated by cuttings, and although it takes longer to obtain plants on their own roots they are much to be preferred to those grafted on the privet. Cuttings should be taken in August when the wood has become firm, and they may be struck in a cool propagating frame.--W. J. B.

Osmanthus Aquifolium - Botanically all forms of the Osmanthus in Britain are of this species. They can scarcely be called varieties, for it is not unusual to see a plant with two so-called varieties on one branch. For convenience, however, and especially as they keep true to character in the majority of instances, the common nursery names are given here. O. aquifolium is a native of China and Japan. In some of its forms it is curiously like the Holly, and is frequently mistaken for it, but it is of looser growth and less thickly furnished with leaves, and is of dwarfer and more shrubby habit. The generally accepted typical form of this species is the one with the largest and broadest leaves. In this the leaves are 3 to 4 inches long, of oblong or oval shape, pointed or toothed, but not so deeply as the smaller-leaved forms known as ilicifolius. They are a deep green color and very firm texture. This plant is, according to my experience, the least hardy of this set. It flowers in autumn, and the blossoms are fragrant.

Osmanthus Delavayi - A charming species from Yunnan, China, which will be welcome should it prove generally hardy. An evergreen reaching 4 to 6 feet high, the branches freely furnished with dark leathery, glossy, small green leaves, which, with its terminal clusters of white Bouvardia-like fragrant flowers, distinguishes it from all the other species of the genus. Light loamy soils in warm well-drained situations.

Osmanthus Ilicifolius - This is by far the most common and useful kind, and is, moreover, a valuable shrub for town planting. The leaves are usually much smaller than those of the plant just described, and may be easily recognised by their deep lobing. The largest specimen at Kew is 9 feet high, with a spreading base and foliage of the deepest and glossiest green. The leaves average 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches in length, and are cut half-way to the midrib into several sharply-pointed lobes. Some of them are quite entire, others lobed on one side only, but most of them have the upper half lobed, the lower half entire.

Osmanthus Purpurascens - The young leaves of this variety are tinged with purple, especially on the under side. It is undoubtedly the best of all the Osmanthuses for outdoor work, being much hardier than the variegated forms. At Kew there is a group of this purple-leaved variety near the Palm House, amongst which is planted Lilium candidum, and nothing could more happily set off the beauty of this Lily.

Osmanthus Myrtifolius - There is this Osmanthus at Kew, the lower part of which is ilicifolius, the upper part myrtifolius. It appears, however, to be itself constant, and when grown on its own roots I have never noticed any reversion. It makes a neat bush, with leaves like those of the Myrtle in shape, but larger and firmer in texture.

Osmanthus Rotundifolius - This is the dwarfest and one of the most distinct. Its leaves are very stiff and leathery, and distinguish the variety by their more or less obovate outline. The margins are not distinctly serrated, but have a very shallow irregular lobing.

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