Goshiki Variegated Osmanthus

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub

Height at Maturity: 6-8′

Width at Maturity: 4-5′

Spacing: 3-4′ for solid hedges; 10′ or more for space between plants

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: Small

Flowering Period: Fall

Flower Type: Single in small clusters

Fragrant Flowers: Yes

Foliage Color: White, yellow, burgundy, pink, medium green, and dark green variegation!

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Mostly Sun to Part Shade. In our north central Georgia gardens and other areas that have hot summer climates it performs better when provided some shade or filtered sun during the mid-afternoon hours.

Water Needs: Low when established

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained

Soil pH: 5.5 – 7.5 (Moderately Acid to Slightly Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Drought (when established), Heat, Humidity, Insect

Description

Truly in a class of its own, Goshiki Osmanthus, also known as Variegated False Holly, is an eyecatching evergreen shrub with radiant variegated leaves of creamy white, yellow and dark mint-green on an upright pyramidal form. What’s more, the new leaves in spring emerge bronze-red to pink for a spectacular show of contrasting color! As with most other Osmanthus, the fall flowers have a fresh, sweet fragrance in the garden. When left to grow natural plants will assume a more pyramidal form, however, with occasional pruning globe and other shapes are possible. This beauty is a must for the gardener that enjoys unique and unusual plants.

Landscape & Garden Uses

With its outstanding color and pyramidal form to 6 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, the Goshiki Osmanthus is ideal for use as an accent, in groupings, or as a hedge in landscape borders and home foundation plantings. Performs exceptionally well in pots, planters and other containers. A fine addition to fragrance gardens, white theme gardens, holly gardens and Asian gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 3 to 4 feet apart for solid hedges; 10 feet or more apart for space between plants.

Note: For our customers who live and garden North of USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 6a, where this Osmanthus variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

Goshiki Variegated Osmanthus is easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and full sun to part shade. That said, in our north central Georgia gardens and other areas that have hot summer climates it performs better when provided some shade or filtered sun during the mid-afternoon hours. Maintenance is minimal; requiring little if any pruning to keep its dense, pyramidal form. It’s also disease, fungus, and pest resistant. Constantly soggy or wet soils can be problematic. Just make sure to plant it in a well-drained site.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Osmanthus and False Holly shrubs.

How To Plant A Tea Olive

How To Fertilize A Tea Olive

How To Prune Prune A Tea Olive Shrub Or Tree

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