Osmanthus burkwoodii in pot details Plant the plant in full sun or partial shade and water regularly throughout the summer to encourage fast growth. After winter moisture back-fill the soil and water thoroughly in spring to avoid frosts. Osmanthus Burkwoodii does well in well-drained soil that dries quickly. Osmanthus Burkwoodii didn’t have to leave the garden when once popular dominant Burkwood tree species like Oxford Euonymus and O. alba were cut down due to disease and insect attacks. Burkwood tree disease, known as Common Filth Vascular Disease, was first described in the UK in 1896. In the mid-1900s frequently observed O. alba growing in the wild surged upwards in numbers and captive-bred plants were later introduced. The disease returned to the UK in the 1910s and later spread to other parts of Europe and parts of North America with a peak in occurrence in the 1920s. The UK was by far the worst affected with the death of tens of thousands of people.
Common Filth Vascular Disease and immigrants from areas where it had been mentioned prior to the 1920s brought the disease back to British shores. Burkwood tree disease was a major reason for the demise of many local biodiversity this brought with it the demise of many popular garden ornamental species like O. alba and O. albiflora. With the rapid loss of these two species some nurseries bred the rarer and more expensive O. habilis which although more colourful grows to a smaller size than O. alba and has tart green fruit that is somewhat tastier. Many of these plants can reach 11m high if planted in good conditions. The native range of O. alba continues from Devon, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Central England with relatively limited presence in Wales although forests have been introduced to southern England from Ireland in recent decades.
Fruit and hardiness detailed These plants are entirely capable of producing fruit, but the variety to which we refer is that of 3 year old leaves with the same markings on the veins as a young plant. The dried fruit is mostly black with purple tips and when cooked the whole fruit breaks up into a rich, slightly spicy syrup. They have a pleasant nutty flavour with a hint of alcohol. autumn-bearing new shoots emerge in late summer and give gardeners weeks of enjoyment. Osmanthus Burkwoodii will grow into a large shrub up to 2 metres high and wide and 4 metres across with good hardiness. Osmanthus Burkwoodii will respond well to plenty of feedings of small amounts of compost until young growth is achieved and the plant starts to form a dense tapestry of fertile soil.
Large Osmanthus Burkwoodii for sale at this link.
Have a look at another seldom grown shrub from my garden Osmanthus X butterbur.
The fragrance of this plant is unmistakable and attracts bees. It blooms widely in spring and summer, with deep purple berries falling from attractive clusters in late summer. This plant prefers moist soil and prefers to be about 3m away from your house so you can appreciate its unique aroma.
Sulphur spikes show the influence of nature on the best crop of this species and the flavor of the fruit is milder than any mustard in existence. It’s a very small shrub to mature so the seeds drop after a week to let bacteria to germinate. Plant these seeds about 1m deep where the soil is still warm. This slow growing shrub has thick branching stems with 6 to 12 pairs of true leaves. Observe carefully for season blooms when the plant is small and develop a pleasing fragrance.
Distribution: This beautiful Shrub grows like a weed although the seeds can survive the winter. Look up the information in your local county entry to find out where it is suitable for. RootsFrom spring to autumn the plant produces succulent, leathery plantlets making a rather average sized shrub up to 4m high. It prefers moist soil and can be quite tolerant of drought. This species can often be mistaken for poison oak.
POSITIONG: rowing up to 4m high, this plant doesn’t like the best light conditions and in general doesn't like direct sunlight. It prefers indirect sunlight and some shade. Instead of growing in the ground it should be placed in a mixture of compost and perlite where it sits in the shadow during the day and gets bright during the night. It can survive the winter in extremely dry conditions but prefers room temperature and slow to flow water. The beneficial bacteria it produces should be watered approximately once a day.
Feed once a week during the spring after the first signs of growth, and then less frequently when the soil dries up during the summer. Although very easy to grow it is not a hardy species and needs specialist care, therefore more information on growing it is available from your county extension officer. Consider moving this plant to a container if it grows out of season or if you are having problems with pests. Once established it may be tempted to go out into the garden but like any tough plant is better left in its place. The seeds are edible when cold if eaten raw.