Latin name: Osmanthus suavis

Common name: Sweet Olive

Abbr: Osu

Taxonomy: Oleaceae/Oleeae/Osmanthus

References : NCBI:txid455486

Introduction: Osmanthus suavis, commonly called sweet olive, is an evergreen shrub that typically grows to 6- 12’ tall and to 4-6’ wide, but infrequently rises to as much as 25’ tall. It is native to dense forests or thickets on slopes in the Himalayas into southwestern Yunnan, China. Lanceolate to oblong leaves (to 3 1/2” long) with serrate margins are dark glossy green above but pale green with very small black dots beneath. Trumpet-shaped white flowers bloom in spring in axillary or terminal clusters (fascicled cymes) Each flower has four roundish ovate-spreading lobes and a 3/8” long corolla tube. Flowers give way to egg-shaped fruits (to 3/8” long) which mature to blue-black.

Distribution: Southeastern Asia

Information sources: Missouri Botanical Garden