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Shrubs

Osmanthus delavayi 'Frank Knight'

osmanthus 'Frank Knight'

A compact and upright evergreen shrub, slowly growing to 2m tall. The dark green, toothed leaves are leathery and glossy and new growth is bronze-flushed. In late spring it produces small clusters of sweetly fragrant, tubular white flowers; these are followed by ovoid, blue-black fruit to 1cm long

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Oleaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Osmanthus can be evergreen shrubs or small trees with leathery, opposite leaves and small, usually fragrant, tubular white, yellow or orange flowers with 4 lobes, followed by ovoid blue-black fruits
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Outdoors, grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade with protection from cold, drying winds

Propagation

Propagate by sowing seed in a cold frame as soon as ripe. Root semi-ripe cuttings in summer with bottom heat. Layer in autumn or spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Coastal
Hedging and screens
Wall side borders

Pruning

See pruning group 8; if grown for hedging trim after flowering

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus

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