Osmanthus Goshiki Tricolour

Osmanthus Heterophyllus Goshiki Tricolour is known by many names including Holly Olive Goshiki, Variegated Osmanthus and Osmanthus Goshiki Tricolour. It is compact shrub very similar to holly but with softer foliage and lovely fragrant white flowers in late summer and early autumn.

The Osmanthus Heterophyllus Goshiki Tricolour is a tough little evergreen that grows to a height of 3 meters and a width of 2.5 meters. Relatively slow growing, the Holly Olive Goshiki often takes ten or more years to attain full growth. Osmanthus Goshiki Tricolour looks striking when planted in front of a backdrop of evergreen shrubs. The Holly Olive Goshiki is also a favourite shrub to use to create an informal evergreen hedge. It also grows well in containers and can thrive for many years without requiring repotting. 

Osmanthus heterophyllus Goshiki Tricolour features striking variegated foliage. In Japanese, the world “Goshika’ translates ‘five colours’. It is a direct referral to the shrub’s unique colour characteristics. Each of the Holly Olive Goshiki leaves feature swirling shades of pink, white, yellow, orange, and cream. The prickly, holly-like leaves of this shrub maintain their eye-catching tri-colours even during the height of winter. Each leathery leaf is oval in shape and has prickly edges. 

Mature Holly Olive Goshiki flowers in the late summer months. The tubular-shaped blossoms are highly fragrant and often persist on the shrub into the fall months. The flowers appear in shades of white, cream, yellow and orange. The shrub blossoms best when planted in full sunlight. Following flowering, small dark fruits are produced that are not overly visually striking. 

Osmanthus heterophyllus Goshiki Tricolour is not picky about sunlight. It grows well in full sun or full shade. 

Choose a planting location that has well-draining soil. Osmanthus Goshiki Tricolour will tolerate thick clay or sandy soil with ease. Keep the soil around the shrub moist for the first year or two after planting. Once the shrub establishes itself, it will tolerate long periods of drought with ease. 

Fertilizer your Holly Olive in the early spring with a general purpose fertilizer to encourage new growth. A light pruning will also help keep the shrub dense. Pruning can be done to maintain size and also shape the shrub’s overall appearance.

Osmanthus heterophyllus has a long history. The shrub has been grown in Eastern Asia for thousands of years. Its existence is recorded in the oldest surviving record of Japanese history. The wood from the shrub was a popular material for making spears. 

Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society, a sure sign that it will perform well in most gardens.