Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Herbs
Origin
China
Asia, Europe
Types
Osmanthus fragrans
Elfin Thyme, Pink Chintz Thyme, Lime Thyme, White Moss Thyme, Lavender Thyme, Silver Needle Thyme
Number of Varieties
30300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland, shaded fields, Shaded sites, Slopes, Subtropical climates
Rocky areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-996-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm10.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Crimson, Lavender, Pink, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Dark Blue, Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green, Dark Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green, Dark Green
Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Tiny
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Part sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Late Winter
Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water deeply about once a week
Do not water frequently, Does not require lot of watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water occasionally
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Part sun
Pruning
Do not prune during shooting season, No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads, Shape and thin as needed
Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune lower leaves, Requires extensive pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free
Alternaria leaf blight, Aphids, Botrytis collar rot, Rhizoctonia Root Rot, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Diarrhea, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Beautification, Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants
Arthritis, Bronchitis, Chronic fatigue, Cough, Gastritis, Hair Loss, Insomnia, Kidney problems, Muscle Pain, Skin irritation, Snoring, Sore throat, Stomach pain, Swelling
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for fragrance, Used for producing cooking oil, Used as a spice
Air freshner, Cosmetics, Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for fragrance
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Herb, Rock Garden
Botanical Name
OSMANTHUS delavayi
Thymus vulgaris
Common Name
Sweet Olive
Tea Olive
Fragrant Olive
Thyme
In Hindi
चाय ओलिव
अजवायन के फूल
In German
Tea Olive
Thymian
In French
Tea Olive
Thym
In Spanish
té verde oliva
Tomillo
In Greek
τσάι Ελιάς
θυμάρι
In Portuguese
Tea Olive
Tomilho
In Polish
Herbata z oliwek
Tymianek
In Latin
Tea Olive
Thymum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
-
Family
Oleaceae
Labiatae
Genus
Osmanthus
Thymus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
30350
1
27800
👆🏻