Osmanthus fragrans () is a species of flowering plant in the family Oleaceae. In English, it is sometimes referred to by the common names sweet osmanthus, sweet olive, tea olive, and fragrant olive. It is native to Assam, Cambodia, China, the Himalayas, Hainan, Japan, Myanmar, Taiwan, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam.
In China, it is the "city flower" of the cities of Hangzhou, Zhejiang; Suzhou, Jiangsu; and Guilin, Guangxi. In Japan, it is the "city tree" of Kitanagoya, Aichi Prefecture; Kashima, Saga Prefecture; Beppu, Ōita Prefecture; and the "town tree" of Yoshitomi, Fukuoka Prefecture.
Etymology
The genus name Osmanthus is composed of two Greek etymons: osma meaning "smell" and anthos meaning "flower". The specific name fragrans is a borrowing from the Latin meaning "odorous, fragrant" referring to the intense fragrance of its flowers.
Growth
It is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing to tall. The leaves are long and broad, with an entire or finely toothed margin. The flowers are white, pale yellow, yellow, or orange-yellow, small, about long, with a four-lobed corolla diameter, and have a strong fragrance; they are produced in small clusters in the late summer and autumn. The fruit is a purple-black drupe long containing a single hard-shelled seed; it is mature in the spring about six months after flowering.
Cultivation
It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in East Asian gardens, and gardens in Europe, North America, Australia and elsewhere in the world for its deliciously fragrant flowers which carry the scent of ripe peaches or apricots.
Repellent
In some regions of northern India, especially in the state of Uttarakhand, the flowers of sweet osmanthus are used to protect clothes from insects.
Medicinal
In traditional Chinese medicine, osmanthus tea has been used as an herbal tea for the treatment of irregular menstruation. The extract of dried flowers showed neuroprotective, free-radical scavenging, antioxidative effects in in vitro assays.
Cultural associations
thumb|left|Osmanthus fragrans in full bloom (October) in [[Jingjiang, China]]
From the occasion of its blossoming, the sweet osmanthus is closely associated with the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. Osmanthus wine is a traditional choice for the "reunion wine" drunk with one's family, and osmanthus-flavored confections and teas may also be consumed. Chinese mythology held that a sweet osmanthus grows on the moon and was endlessly cut by Wu Gang: some versions held that he was forced to cut it every 1000 years lest its luxuriant growth overshadow the moon itself, others that he was obliged to cut it constantly only to see it regrow an equal amount every day.
In late imperial China, the osmanthus was also associated with the imperial examinations, which were held in the 8th lunar month. The chengyu "pluck osmanthus in the Toad Palace" was a refined paraphrase for "passing the exam", in part since one would attract hangers-on as if he smelled as sweet as osmanthus thereafter.