Osmanthus fragrans Sweet Olive, Fragrant Tea Olive is another one. Another of the Olive trees. Suppose to be very fragrant and especially in the winter. They are not very easy to find tho. Jen

Oh, they are wonderful. The house my son bought has one and even now, it is fragrant. I took some cuttings so hopefully they will take!

The cuttings were looking good but now, not so much. I'll check for roots this week and keep you posted.

Arlene - did your cuttings make it? I bought a small potted one last year, it it had a teeny single bunch of blooms. Hoping it will bloom a little more this year. When does the one at your son's house bloom?

Dianne,

The ones I used hormone on and put in soil did not make it. The ones in water are still alive, just no roots! I haven't had a chance to do the layering but I did check it out and I think I may be able to stick a couple of pots under it. It's in a tight spot but I think I can. His blossoms during the winter months, Dec. through like March. I think it's done now but I haven't checked in awhile. This time of year we are using the garden drive and it's planted up by the house. But I actually could smell it in the garden at one point this winter!

Went to Calloway Gardens and they were having a plant sale but it was late and they didn't have much let. But they had a ton of Sweet Tea Olive!!! I got a beautiful one!!!!

My Sweet Olive is blossoming! So fragrant!!!!

Big Yeah! I noticed some blooms on mine the past couple days. It's new also, got in Feb (when I tracked down the source of the great smell at the store that day) but only planted about 3 months ago. Not much if it's a beauty contest, but the scent coming from those barely noticeable blooms is unbelievable. This makes me feel better finally about missing lilacs from OH the past few years, much much better.

Absolutely! Lilacs are luscious but Sweet olive is soooooo sweet! I got mine in April but only got it planted about 3 weeks ago so I was really not expecting any blossoms this year.

I have lilacs planted down here too. They are all small but a couple did blossom this spring. I'm hoping eventually to have enough to cut to bring inside!

I find Osmanthus a fragrance you want to inhale and inhale, it never gets overbearing. To me lilac is one that is nice wafting past on a breeze or walking past the bush, but if you put your nose into it you get tired of it quickly. Both are flowering in my garden at the momen, though the lilacs will be over in a few weeks, while the Osmanthus will continue on.

I have many Sweet Olive in my yard; I would not be without them. One of my top 10 plants I recommend to everyone who will stop to listen to me! Mine are about 15 ft. after 9 years. As a transplant from the North also, I missed Lilacs too. Once I smelled Sweet Olive (and Gardenia!) I forgot all about Iowa, lol. At the garden center I work at, I once asked all the employees to put a name to the fragrance of Sweet Olive. We all stood there, inhaling the amazing fragrance, trying desperately to come up with a description of the smell. Finally, one lady came up with it...get this... it is a mix of sweet cream, vanilla and canned Apricots! THATS IT! Next time you are smelling it, think about that description- it works!
Mine, here in Texas, bloom 2X a year- spring and fall. They are day-length triggered.

Welcome Tim, Where is Elysian Flelds , Tx. Have you ever got one of the Sweet Olives to root. I have never seen one and now you have made me curious?

My sweet olive is blooming now, but very little fragrance, if at all. I wish I have one of the more fragrant ones that you all are raving about.

Mine is flowering now, and makes my little rainforest courtyard a wonderful place to sit on a sunny Autumn day.

Are there cultivars with especially good fragrance?

I wanted to get some of these at L's last weekend but couldn't find any. So sad!!