Noble Lady ( qiannan guifei ) Fragrant Tea Olive

Osmanthus fragrans qiannan guifei

Noble Lady Of Qiannan

This Chinese cultivar of Osmanthus fragrans flushes in the spring with bright pink new growth, similar to Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Shien,' but it is far more showy, since the leaves are so much larger. The leaves then slowly turn to a pale pink and then eventually to almost pure white, then to green. To see a mass of foliage going through this process is truly breath-taking. with this Osmanthus, we have a plant which is disease resistant, deer resistant and has a heavenly fragrant flower. But even with the fragrance, it's greatest asset is its stunning foliage. It is a very vigorous grower, and it doesn't start to flower until it gets some age on it. The flowers are fragrant white. The new growth in the spring has the deepest pink coloration. Subsequent flushes throughout the growing season will be pink, but not as much as the first flush in the spring.

Qiannan Guifei: Guifei means Imperial concubine; the term can be used generically for noble lady. Quinnan Guifei can be translated to "Noble Lady of Quinnan" (the place where it was originally cultivated). The name refers to the elegant colors of the leaves. 

Mature Height : 10-15 feet ( estimate )

Mature Width : 6-8 feet ( estimate )

  Exposure : Full Sun to partial shade

Hardiness Zones 7b-9