Osmanthus fragrans Lour.

Trees or shrubs 3-5(-10) m, glabrous. Petiole 0.8-1.2 (-1.5) cm; leaf blade elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 7-14.5 × 2.6-4.5 cm, base cuneate or broadly cuneate, margin entire or usually serrulate along distal half, apex acuminate; midrib and 6-8(-10) primary veins adaxially impressed and abaxially raised. Cymes fascicled in leaf axils, many flowered; bracts broadly ovate, 2-4 mm. Pedicel 4-10 mm. Calyx ca. 1 mm. Corolla yellowish, yellow, or orange, 3-4 mm; tube 0.5-1 mm. Stamens attached to middle of corolla tube; connective elongated into an obscure mucro. Drupe purple-black, ellipsoid, oblique, 1-1.5 cm. Fl. Sep-Oct, fr. Mar. 2n = 46*.

It is a temperate to subtropical plant. It grows in S China. In Pakistan it grows in the temperate Himalayas between 1,200-2,200 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 7-11. Melbourne Botanical gardens. Kyneton Botanical Gardens. In Yunnan.

The flowers have been used for scenting tea. They are also used to flavour wines, liqueurs, and sweets such as lotus seed soup, pastries and steamed pears. The unripe fruit are preserved in brine like olives. The fruit are eaten.

Plants can be grown from half hardened cuttings.