Goshiki False Holly
Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki'
Goshiki' translates from Japanese as "five colors". Its new leaves emerge red and quickly turn green. The green leaves are daubed with spots of creamy white, gray-green, and yellow-green. This lovely selection makes a great evergreen accent or hedge.
| Botanical Pronunciation: | oz-MAN-thus het-er-o-FIL-us |
| Key feature: | Year-round Interest |
| Plant type: | Shrub |
| Garden styles: | Asian/Zen, Contemporary, Rustic |
| Deciduous/evergreen: | Evergreen |
| Cold hardiness zones: | 6 - 9 |
| Light needs: | Partial to full sun |
| Water Needs: | Needs regular watering - weekly, or more often in extreme heat. |
| Average landscape size: | Slow grower, 3-5 ft. tall, 4 ft. wide in 10 years; may reach 8-10 ft. tall with age. |
| Growth rate: | Slow |
| Growth habit: | Compact |
| Flower attribute: | Showy Flowers |
| Special features: | Dramatic Foliage Color, Year-round Interest |
| Landscape uses: | Firescaping/Fire Wise, Woodland Garden |
| Flower color: | White |
| Blooms: | Spring flowers are insignificant. |
| Foliage color: | Green |
| Item no.: | 6323 |
| Retailers for this plant: |
Care Information
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. Shear annually for a neat appearance and to maintain desired size and shape. Pruning time: spring.
Design Ideas
Use as a low prickly hedge or try as a unique mid-height accent in shrub borders. Far wider than it is tall, group to cover large bare areas of the garden.
Companion Plants
Plant with gold leaf shrubs to highlight the multi-colors of the Goshiki False Holly. Other Asian inspired plants like Nandina, Peony, and Asiatic Lilies complement this Asian native.
History
Native to Eastern Asia, Osmanthus heterophyllus is mentioned in the oldest surviving historical record of Japan. It is believed to have been used to make holly wood spears and used in battle to subdue the East. The prickly and non-prickly plants are sometimes referred to as male and female, although the leaf texture is not related to the plant sexuality.
Goshiki' translates from Japanese as "five colors". Its new leaves emerge red and quickly turn green. The green leaves are daubed with spots of creamy white, gray-green, and yellow-green. This lovely selection makes a great evergreen accent or hedge.
Care Information
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. Shear annually for a neat appearance and to maintain desired size and shape. Pruning time: spring.
Design Ideas
Use as a low prickly hedge or try as a unique mid-height accent in shrub borders. Far wider than it is tall, group to cover large bare areas of the garden.
Companion Plants
Plant with gold leaf shrubs to highlight the multi-colors of the Goshiki False Holly. Other Asian inspired plants like Nandina, Peony, and Asiatic Lilies complement this Asian native.
History
Native to Eastern Asia, Osmanthus heterophyllus is mentioned in the oldest surviving historical record of Japan. It is believed to have been used to make holly wood spears and used in battle to subdue the East. The prickly and non-prickly plants are sometimes referred to as male and female, although the leaf texture is not related to the plant sexuality.
| Botanical Pronunciation: | oz-MAN-thus het-er-o-FIL-us |
| Key feature: | Year-round Interest |
| Plant type: | Shrub |
| Garden styles: | Asian/Zen, Contemporary, Rustic |
| Deciduous/evergreen: | Evergreen |
| Cold hardiness zones: | 6 - 9 |
| Light needs: | Partial to full sun |
| Water Needs: | Needs regular watering - weekly, or more often in extreme heat. |
| Average landscape size: | Slow grower, 3-5 ft. tall, 4 ft. wide in 10 years; may reach 8-10 ft. tall with age. |
| Growth rate: | Slow |
| Growth habit: | Compact |
| Flower attribute: | Showy Flowers |
| Special features: | Dramatic Foliage Color, Year-round Interest |
| Landscape uses: | Firescaping/Fire Wise, Woodland Garden |
| Flower color: | White |
| Blooms: | Spring flowers are insignificant. |
| Foliage color: | Green |
| Item no.: | 6323 |
