Osmanthus fragrans is a roadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree, 20-40 ft (6-12 m) high, upright oval to columnar habit, often grown with several main trunks. Leaves opposite or subopposite, simple, oblong-lanceolate to elliptic, 6-10 cm long, tip acuminate, base wedge-shaped (cuneate), margin entire or finely toothed, leathery tough, glossy dark green above, lighter and distinctly veined below; petiole 6-12 mm long. Flowers usually white, waxy, small, 1 cm, the 4-lobed corolla is divided more or less to the base, solitary or few in stalked clusters, very fragrant (apricot-scented). Fruits bluish, 12 mm long. Native to China, Japan and Himalayas. Sweet Osmanthus is the city flower of Guilin, China, and Guilin actually means Forest of Sweet Osmanthus trees. The very fragrant flowers are used as an additive for tea and other beverages in the far east. In addition, in China the flowers are also used to produce osmanthus-scented jam, sweet cakes, dumplings and soups. An extract (alcohol absolute) of gold-orange flowers (O. fragrans var. thunbergii) is very expensive (~U.S. 4000 per kilogram) and accordingly is used in only the most expensive perfumes and flavors (Leffingwell & Associates).
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