The Apricot Echo Sweet Olive (Osmanthus x 'Apricot Echo') is a hybrid evergreen shrub prized for its delicate, fragrant flowers and attractive, glossy foliage. A member of the Oleaceae family, this cultivar is a cross between Osmanthus fragrans and Osmanthus aurantiacus, resulting in a plant that showcases the best traits of both parent species. The Apricot Echo Sweet Olive is an excellent choice for adding fragrance, visual interest, and year-round color to gardens and landscapes.
The Apricot Echo Sweet Olive is a medium-sized, slow-growing shrub that typically reaches heights of 6-8 feet and 6-12 feet in width. It has a rounded, dense form and features opposite, simple leaves that are elliptical to oblong in shape. The leaves are dark green and glossy, with smooth margins and a leathery texture, providing an appealing backdrop for the plant's flowers.
This versatile plant is adaptable to a variety of growing conditions, thriving in both full sun and partial shade. The Apricot Echo Sweet Olive prefers well-draining soil and is relatively drought-tolerant once established. It is also moderately cold-hardy, making it suitable for a range of climates.
The most notable feature of the Apricot Echo Sweet Olive is its fragrant, tubular flowers, which bloom intermittently from fall to spring. The flowers are small, typically measuring only 0.2-0.3 inches in length, but their enchanting fragrance more than compensates for their diminutive size. The blossoms are apricot-orange in color, appearing in clusters along the stems and providing a delightful contrast against the dark green foliage.
The flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, adding ecological value to the plant and enhancing its appeal in pollinator-friendly gardens.
Following successful pollination, the Apricot Echo Sweet Olive produces small, inconspicuous fruit. The fruit, technically a drupe, is dark blue to black in color and typically measures around 0.5 inches in diameter. While the fruit is not particularly ornamental, it does provide a modest food source for various birds and wildlife.
It is important to note that the fruit of the Apricot Echo Sweet Olive, as well as that of other Osmanthus species, is not commonly consumed by humans. However, the plant's primary appeal lies in its fragrant flowers and attractive foliage, rather than its fruit production.
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