Orange Flowering Tea Olive

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

8-10 Feet

Mature Spread

6-8 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 9

Orange Flowering Tea Olive is grown for fragrance first, and the orange fall flowers make that scent even more memorable. The clusters of small creamy orange to light tangerine flowers can gather thickly along the stems in fall. The glossy evergreen foliage develops into an upright rounded shrub or small tree, typically reaching 8 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide in garden settings. Plant Osmanthus fragrans 'Aurantiacus' near a porch, gate, or frequently used path, because the apricot-like perfume is too good to hide at the back of the yard.

This orange-flowered sweet olive is native to parts of East Asia and is valued as a long-lived broadleaf evergreen with few routine pest issues. It grows slowly to moderately, eventually forming a dense screen where winters allow. Fall is its strongest bloom season, and older plants often flower more heavily once they have reached some size. Use Orange Flowering Tea Olive for fragrant hedges, entry plantings, sunny woodland edges, or large patio containers that can be protected where winter temperatures fall below its comfort range.

Orange Flowering Tea Olive Care

Plant Orange Flowering Tea Olive in full sun, mostly sun, part sun, or light shade. It adapts to clay, loam, or sandy soil when drainage is good and organic matter is present. Acidic to neutral soil pH is suitable, with acidic to mildly acidic soil preferred for steady growth and leaf color.

Water regularly during the first growing season, then shift to deeper soakings as the root system develops. Established plants tolerate shorter dry periods, but flower production is better when late summer soil does not swing from dry to soaked. Fertilize in late winter or early spring with a slow-release fertilizer for acid-loving shrubs, and stop by midsummer so new stems have time to mature before cold weather.

Prune in late winter or early spring only as needed to shape the shrub, raise the canopy, or train an espalier. Avoid severe pruning on plants you want to bloom soon, since tea olives may take time to return to heavy flowering after hard cuts. In areas where this evergreen is not reliably hardy outdoors, container plants should be moved to a bright protected spot in late fall before the first hard freeze.

Orange Flowering Tea Olive Spacing

Space Orange Flowering Tea Olive 4 to 5 feet apart for a fragrant hedge, or 8 feet or more apart when growing it as a specimen shrub or small tree. Use a large container at least 24 inches wide with drainage holes and a well-drained potting mix amended with bark. Repot in late winter or early spring.

In the landscape, plant this tea olive with gardenia, distylium, ferns, or camellia for evergreen structure and compatible moisture needs. For container arrangements, use alyssum or pansies near the rim in cool weather, as bright light and regular watering suit the planting.

Simple Plant Spacing Calculator

Planting Shape

Rectangle Circle Known Area

Length (ft)

Width (ft)

Diameter (ft)

Or enter radius below

Radius (ft)

Known Area (sq ft)

Plant Spacing On-Center (in)

Pattern

Square (grid) Triangular (staggered)

Fill edge gaps (max plants)

Enter area to see results.

Visual Preview

Print / Save PDF

Powered by