Looking lovely in the garden now is the Japanese selection of Osmanthus heterophyllus, known as ‘Goshiki’. The Japanese translation of Goshiki is literally, five colors, which accurately describes the intricate patterning and color changes in the foliage. The evergreen shrub, itself, is native to Japan, Korea, and into Taiwan. As the new growth emerges in early spring, it takes on a golden cast from a distance, whose brightness dims a bit as summer arrives. Upon close inspection, the leaves, which are pink tinged as they emerge, are actually green with flecks of light green, white, and gold. In fall, the masses of insanely fragrant white flowers cluster tightly around the stems. These 8 year old plants are now 7′ tall x 7′ wide, so be careful if you get your size information from websites that have never actually grown the plant in the ground, or who are not good gardeners. Hardiness is Zone 6b-9a.
The foliage works well in floral arangements, especially for the holidays.