The fruit of the osmanthus tree is generally called "guizi" (桂子), and because "guizi" (桂子) is a homophone for "guizi" (贵子), meaning "noble son," the fruiting of osmanthus is often regarded as an auspicious sign. However, in actual cultivation, few people see osmanthus fruit. So why does it bear fruit? Let's find out below.
What causes osmanthus trees to bear fruit?
Osmanthus trees bear fruit because they are dioecious (separate male and female plants). If the cultivated osmanthus variety is monoecious, it will bear fruit after flowering if the environment is suitable, but note that only the female plants will bear fruit.
Why do osmanthus trees rarely bear fruit?
1. Incorrect variety
There are four main varieties of osmanthus trees: golden osmanthus, silver osmanthus, red osmanthus, and ever-blooming osmanthus . Except for the ever-blooming osmanthus, the other three varieties can actually bear fruit.
2. Environmental factors
Environmental factors such as soil, water, temperature, and sunlight also affect the fruit production of osmanthus trees. Of course, tree age is also a crucial factor. However, climate has a particularly significant impact; for example, osmanthus trees in areas north of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in my country rarely bear fruit.
3. Reproductive characteristics
Osmanthus trees can be propagated from seeds, but the resulting seedlings are called "seedlings." However, seedlings grow slowly and have a long flowering period, taking at least ten years to bloom. Therefore, few people use seeds for propagation; most choose cuttings or grafting. For this reason, most osmanthus seedlings sold in the market are grafted. Grafted seedlings typically flower within two to three years after transplanting, significantly shortening the flowering time. However, these grafted seedlings do not bear fruit; only seedlings can produce seeds. Therefore, it's rare to see osmanthus trees bearing fruit.
