Osmanthus burkwoodii, or American burkwood, is a species of perennial composite plant with aromatic foliage and fleshy gray-green trunk. It is a native to North America, however, it was introduced to Europe in the 1980s. The plant is quite drought tolerant and thanks to a cool-season habit of growth, can grow to be a full height of three feet. This evergreen shrub is noted for its evergreen leaves, which are scented by a resin known as cinereus.
In autumn, Osmanthus burkwoodii produces white flowers, which bloom in pink, purple, orange, or blue. The blooms usually drop from the branches, but can be left to bloom on the ground for several months before falling off. There are a few varieties of this evergreen shrub. One has larger blooms than the other, one has smaller blooms, and a third variety has large white flowers that last for a long time. All varieties of this evergreen shrub should be trained as an indoor plant.
The most attractive attribute of this scented wood is its evergreen quality. A single bulb of osmanthus burkwoodii will bloom on and off for many years. Because of the slow growing nature of the plant, it is an ideal specimen for the nursery. Its slow growth rate makes it somewhat difficult to grow indoors but it is rather easy to grow even in the most arid conditions.
Most of the Osmanthus burkwoodii plants are fairly hardy and can survive even with minimal amounts of fertilizer. However, the main concern with these plants is the slow growth rate. Some of the varieties like the X burkwoodii hedge plants are known to have somewhat fast growth rates. With a faster growth rate, these plants require more frequent trimming to maintain their proper planting density. These plants will also need more frequent weeding to maintain proper weeding concentration throughout the lawn.
The slow growth rate of the burkwoodii means that the pruning is required less often, which translates into less trimming and maintenance. The burkwoodii is a fairly hardy plant. It is known to resist disease and pests quite well.
As with all flowering plants, some care needs to be taken when propagating these plants. Some of the x burkwoodii hedge plants are extremely pruning demanding, so you will want to carefully follow the instructions in the seed packets to ensure proper pruning of the young plants. The best time for planting is spring. The most challenging time of year for planting is in autumn. You should plan your planting time ahead of time to avoid the late season rains.
Osmanthus burkwoodii 'Rising Sun' and Osmanthus burkwoodii 'Siberian' are two of the common varieties available. They both come in a variety of colors. The rising sun variety is a perennial, and the Siberian variety is a biennially growing plant. Both of these plants are easy to grow and produce spectacular flowers in a short amount of time. The burkwoodii'Siberian' tends to be slightly disease resistant than the rising sun variety.
The hybrid variety, Osmanthus Big Leaf, is a good choice for those that don't mind the slow growth or pruning. This is a great plant to start with if you are new to hedge care or just want a very versatile plant. The plants come in a variety of heights, from just a few inches, to four to even six feet. The two main varieties are more difficult to grow than the hybrid, but all of them have the ability to survive under certain conditions. If you plan to propagate, the best way to go about doing this is to plant two plants together and let them grow independently for two years before planting the third. You can then do a purebred selection and place each plant into a separate pot.