Burkwood osmanthus

Questions about Burkwood osmanthus

Does Burkwood osmanthus need sun or shade?

Burkwood osmanthus grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does Burkwood osmanthus grow in?

USDA zones 6 to 9. It is hardy to zone 6, which means it survives winter nights down to about 0 °F (−18 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does Burkwood osmanthus flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers mid April to early May. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should Burkwood osmanthus be planted?

6½ ft (200 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 8 ft (250 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 8 ft (250 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many Burkwood osmanthus plants do I need?

Usually one. At 6½ ft (200 cm) across, it is a plant you place, not one you mass. For a hedge or screen, set them 6½ ft apart: two plants for a 10 ft run.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is Burkwood osmanthus poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like Burkwood osmanthus?

Burkwood osmanthus is not native to North America. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Mountain laurel: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers late May to late June, medium leaves, not fine.
• Catawba rhododendron: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers late May to mid June, bold leaves, not fine.
• Saskatoon serviceberry: the same job in a bed, the same flowering time and the same colour; 20 in taller, medium leaves, not fine.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat Burkwood osmanthus?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What flowers after Burkwood osmanthus?

Burkwood osmanthus is over by early May. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Lilac 'Miss Kim': from late May to mid June, 6 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Ninebark 'Summer Wine': from late May to late June, 6 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Rhododendron 'Nova Zembla': from late May to mid June, 6½ ft tall.

What does Burkwood osmanthus look like in winter?

Burkwood osmanthus keeps its dark green leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone.