osmanthus heterophyllus

Prickly Olive

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For years I have damned Osmanthus heterophyllus or false holly with faint praise–or no praise at all.  Two of the prickly evergreen shrubs stand silently in front of the house, and for years I longed to remove them. Why have I harbored such thoughts about a pair of innocent shrubs?  For one thing, I didn’t … Read more

Tea Olive

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For years I have damned osmanthus with faint praise or no praise at all.  Two of the evergreen shrubs stand silently in front of the house, growing nicely and receiving absolutely nothing from me except an occasional, grudging pruning.  When I think of them at all, I think about what I would grow in their … Read more