Information about the osmanthus tree

Garden osmanthus is native to southwestern places. Southwest China, Sichuan, Shaanan, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Henan and other places, there are wild osmanthus grows, is now widely planted in the Huaihe River basin and the south of the region, and its habitat can be up to the lower reaches of the Yellow River in the north, and the south can be up to the two Guangzhi, Hainan and other places.

Growing areas with good water and heat conditions, precipitation is suitable, the soil is mostly yellow-brown soil or yellow-brown soil, the vegetation is mainly subtropical broad-leaved forest type. In the above conditions of nurturing and influence, osmanthus grows well, and the formation of Anhui Liu'an, Hubei Xianning, Hunan Taoyuan, Suzhou, Jiangsu, Guangxi Guilin, Wuhan, Hubei, Hangzhou, Zhejiang and Chengdu, Sichuan, several nationally renowned osmanthus commodity production base.

Osmanthus fragrans is the habit of many trees of the genus osmanthus, the representative species osmanthus fragrans (scientific name: Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour.), also known as rock cinnamon, the Department of osmanthus fragrans family of evergreen shrubs or small trees, the texture of the firm skin is thin, the leaves are long oval face tip, opposite, through the winter does not wither. Flowering leaves between the bowels, corolla petals four-lobed, small, its horticultural varieties, the most representative of the golden laurel, silver laurel, danggui, laurel and so on.

Osmanthus is one of China's traditional ten famous flowers, greening, landscaping, aroma in one of the ornamental and practical excellent garden species, osmanthus can be clear dust, thick can be far from overflowing, can be called one of the best. Especially in the mid-autumn, the series of laurel blossomed, the night quiet round occasion, the wine to enjoy the laurel, Chen incense pungent, refreshing. In China's ancient poetry of flowers, the number of works of laurel is also considerable. Since ancient times, it has been loved by our people and is regarded as a traditional flower.

Osmanthus tea made of osmanthus flowers is a specialty tea in China, which has a soft aroma and delicious flavor, and is loved by the public. Osmanthus has been widely used in garden construction.

Osmanthus adapted to subtropical climate areas. Sex like warm, moist. The average temperature in the planting area is 14-28 ℃, the average temperature in July is 24-28 ℃, the average temperature in January is more than 0 ℃, can tolerate the lowest temperature -13 ℃, the optimal growth temperature is 15-28 ℃. Humidity is extremely important to the growth and development of osmanthus, requiring an average annual humidity of 75% -85%, annual precipitation of about 1000 mm, especially in the juvenile period and adult trees need more water when flowering, if encountered in drought will affect the flowering, strong sunlight and shade is not conducive to its growth, the general requirement of 6-8 hours of light per day.

Osmanthus flowers like warmth, strong resistance, both high temperature tolerance, but also more cold. Therefore, it can overwinter in the open ground in areas south of the Qinling and Huaihe Rivers in China. Osmanthus prefer sunshine, can also tolerate shade, in the full light of its branches and leaves grow luxuriantly, blooming dense, in the shade of the growth of sparse branches and leaves, flowers sparse. If indoor potted plants in the north, especially need to pay attention to have enough light, in order to facilitate the growth and the formation of flower buds. Osmanthus is good for moist, avoid water, but also have a certain degree of drought tolerance. Osmanthus is not too strict on the soil requirements, in addition to alkaline soil and lowlands or too sticky, poorly drained soil, generally can grow, but the deep, loose, fertile, well-drained slightly acidic sandy loam is most suitable. Osmanthus has a certain degree of resistance to chlorine, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride and other harmful gases, there is also a strong ability to absorb and stagnant dust, often used in cities and industrial and mining areas.

Osmanthus suitable for planting in ventilated and light-permeable places; like clean and ventilated environments, intolerant of smoke and dust hazards, often unable to blossom after the damage; fear of flooding and waterlogging, if the flood damage, the root system is blackened and rotted, the leaves are scorched at the tip of the leaf, followed by the whole leaf yellowing and shedding, which leads to the death of the whole plant; not very cold hardy, but relative to other evergreen broad-leaved tree species, or a more hardy species.

Osmanthus after a long period of planting, natural hybridization and artificial selection, resulting in many cultivars. Through further investigation and cleaning, has initially identified 32 varieties of each osmanthus. In terms of flower color, there are golden laurel, silver laurel, danggui; in terms of leaf type, there are willow leaf laurel, golden fan laurel, drip yellow, sunflower leaves, firewood handle yellow; in terms of flowering period, there are August laurel, four seasons laurel, monthly good points and so on.

Osmanthus due to a long time after artificial cultivation, natural hybridization and artificial selection, the formation of a rich variety of cultivars. In the major cities of the country's osmanthus resources and varieties of osmanthus carried out an extensive survey, field records of osmanthus flowering traits, various types of osmanthus traits to analyze, compare, and select a more stable genetic traits, and with the traditional classification of the method and the application of garden production, the identification of osmanthus to sort out the four varieties of osmanthus group.

The four strains

Four Seasons Osmanthus

Four Seasons Osmanthus varieties group: this variety of bushy shrubby, low tree shape, short and dense branching, the crown is spherical. New leaves deep red, old mature leaves green or yellowish green; leaf blade is elliptic broadly ovoid, entire or sparsely serrated, leaf margin undulate is not obvious; leaf texture is thinner, leaf surface of the leaf flesh is slightly raised, net veins are more obvious. The petiole is about 1 cm long on average. Important features are: the angle of intersection between the main and lateral veins of the leaf blade is large and close to vertical. The flower buds of 'Four Seasons Laurel' are often solitary or 2-3 stacked, and bloom in batches from September to the following March each year. The flowers are lighter in color, creamy yellow to lemon yellow, and the fragrance of the flowers is not as strong as that of silver laurel, golden laurel, or danggui, and the varieties include large-leaved four-season laurel and small-leaved four-season laurel. It blooms in all seasons, and there are varieties such as "Monthly Laurel", "Daily Fragrant Laurel", "Big Leaf Buddha's Dome Pearl", and "Four Seasonal Laurel with Tooth and Leaf". The name of the plant is "Cinnamon".

Dan Gui

Dan Gui varieties group: a kind of evergreen shrubs, dioecious, crown spherical. Bark light gray, smoother, lenticels sparse. Leaves leathery, long elliptic or elliptic, 6-12 centimeters long, 2. 5-5 centimeters wide; leaf surface is relatively flat, leaf margin revolute, entire, apex occasionally sparsely toothed, base broadly cuneate; apex obtuse-acute or mucronate; lateral veins 8-10 pairs, reticulate veins are obvious on both sides; petiole 8-10 millimeters long. Flowers orange-red, corolla slightly inwardly clasping; fragrance pale. Flowering period from late September to early October. Autumn flowering, flowers darker, orange-yellow, orange-red to vermilion, strong smell, thick leaves, "large-flowered danggui", "tooth danggui", "vermilion danggui", "wide-leaf red" and other varieties.

Golden laurel

Golden laurel varieties group: evergreen small trees, the crown is spherical; strong tree, branches upright, very close. The bark is gray, the lenticels are round or oval, and the spring tips are relatively thick, with an average length of 15.9 cm; the leaves are dark green, leathery, and glossy; the blades are elliptic, with uneven leaf surfaces, and the leaf margins are microscopically curved, and the revolutions are obvious; they are full-edged, with occasional serrations at the apex; the flowers are yellow, with a strong fragrance, and they do not bear any fruits. Autumn flowering, flowers lemon yellow light to golden yellow. Varieties include "large-flowered golden laurel", "large-leaved yellow", "D潢川金桂", "late golden laurel", "round-leaved golden laurel ", Xianning evening laurel, ball laurel, round discernment of golden laurel, willow leaf suzuki, gold master laurel, wave leaf golden laurel, and other varieties.

Silver laurel

Silver laurel varieties group: evergreen small trees, the crown is rounded globular, large branches to carry out, dense branches and leaves, good growth. Bark light gray, lenticels are many and large, shaped like snowflakes, very obvious. The average length of the spring tips is 15.5cm, and the new tips are maroon in color, which is very eye-catching. Leaf blade green or dark green, thickly leathery, glossy; long elliptic or elliptic; leaf blade broader and thicker; leaf surface more spreading; leaf margins shallowly undulate, revolute, entire, occasionally sparsely toothed at the apex; blooms in the first half of September, corolla obliquely spreading, lobes ovate-orbicular, flowers creamy-yellow to lemon-yellow in color, richly scented; does not bear fruit after flowering. Autumn flowering, flower color pure white, cream, yellowish white or light yellow. Varieties include broad-leaved seeded silver laurel, willow-leaved silver laurel, hard-leaved silver laurel, "seeded silver laurel", "nine-dragon laurel", "early silver laurel", "late silver laurel ", "white clean" "pure white silver laurel", "green mountain silver laurel" and other varieties.

Cultivated treasures

Commonly cultivated varieties include wave-leaf golden laurel, vermilion danggui, hard-leaf danggui, early silver laurel, Hangzhou yellow, four seasons laurel, Buddha's top beads, and day-scented laurel.

Wave-leaf golden laurel: leaves oval, undulating edge, can bloom 2-3 times in the fall, with dense flowers, a strong fragrance, corolla golden yellow, petals oval.

Cinnabar Dang Gui: Leaves ovate-elliptic, firm golden edge, bloom 2 times in the fall, flowers lightly fragrant, corolla deep red, petals round.

Sclerophyllum tannicum: leaves elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, entire or 1/3 or 2/3 serrate, margins undulate flowers faintly fragrant, corolla orange-yellow.

Early silver laurel: leaves elliptic, entire, edge flat, early flowering, can bloom 3-4 times a year, flowers strongly fragrant, corolla light yellow, petals round.

Late silver laurel: leaf margins are slightly curved, basically entire even with a coarse pointed serration at the apex. Leaf surface slightly concave, leaf apex mucronate, base broadly cuneate. Can bloom twice a year, flowering in late September and early October, lasting 6 days, each inflorescence has 6-7 flowers, flowering medium, medium aroma. Petals orbicular, four-lobed several divided, corolla nearly white, spreading, stamens 2, ovary degenerate.

Leaflet suzuki: leaves elliptic, 7-9cm long, 2-4cm wide, thick leathery, leaf margins microwave-like, entire. It can bloom 3 times a year, from late September to mid-October, lasting 5-10 days, with 5-9 flowers per inflorescence, densely flowered, fragrant, with pedicels 8-15mm long, flowers often drooping or scattered, petals oval, corolla lemon-yellow, with 2 stamens, and the ovary is degenerated.

Purple cloud: leaves elliptic, midvein concave above, leaf margins microscopically curved, entire. It can bloom twice a year, in early and mid-October, with 5-8 flowers per inflorescence, medium bearing, strong fragrance, suborbicular petals, corolla initially bluish-purple, then silvery-white, pale yellow when in full bloom, with 2 stamens, and a degenerate ovary.

Drunken Muscle Red: Leaves elliptic or long elliptic, entire or apex occasionally serrulate. The leaf surface is slightly concave and convex, and the apex of the leaf is long acuminate or acuminate. It can bloom 1-2 times a year, in early and mid-October, with 5-9 flowers per inflorescence, densely flowered, lightly scented, with a clear yellow corolla, oval petals, spreading, 2 stamens, and a reduced ovary.

White Jade: Leaves are long elliptic or elliptic, entire. The leaf surface is relatively flat, the apex is blunt or short acuminate. it blooms from late September to early October, with 7-9 flowers per inflorescence, creamy white or light yellow-white, with very strong fragrance, the corolla is obliquely spreading, and the petals are obovate or obovate-ovate-elliptic.

Hangzhou yellow: leaves long elliptic or ovate-elliptic, entire or more than 1/2 serrate, undulating edge, flowering 3-4 times in the fall, closely flowered, strongly fragrant, corolla golden yellow, petals obovate-elliptic.

Willow leaf laurel: small tree or shrubby, crown oblong, orbicular, more branches. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate or long elliptic, entire. Leaf apex acuminate, sparse apex with a few serrations. bloom in mid-late September to early October, 5-7 flowers per bud, sparse flowers, flowers silver-white to yellowish-white, yellowish, strongly fragrant.

Jade Curtain Silversilver Laurel: Leaves are long elliptic, narrower, entire, long acuminate at the apex, new branches are purple, new leaves are purple-red. Can bloom 2-3 times a year, each time the flowering period of 6-7 days, with dense flowers, strong fragrance, long and thin pedicel, up to 12-17mm, shaped like a jade curtain, flowers drooping, petals oval, corolla spreading, yellow-white, 2 stamens, the ovary degenerate, do not bear fruit.

Four Seasons Laurel: Leaves of two types, spring leaves are large and wide garden, broadly ovate-elliptic; fall leaves are smaller, elliptic, entire, the apex occasionally toothed, the edge of the microwave curvature. Flowering in all seasons, with spring and fall as the peak flowering period, inflorescences terminal or axillary, flowers lightly fragrant, corolla yellow-white, petals oval.

Buddha's head: Shrubs, leaf obliquely or elliptic waveform, the leaf surface is obviously "V" shape, inflexion dark green, leaf margin above the base or more than 1/3 coarse teeth, the peduncle is developed, the flower is yellow-white, slightly fragrant, petals obovate.

Daily fragrant laurel: Shrub or small tree, leaves obovate-lanceolate or obovate-elliptic, entire or 1/3 or more than 2/3 are serrate, dark green. Inflorescences with a peduncle, flowers nearly white or yellowish, slightly fragrant, flowering period from September to April.