FRAGRANT SHRUBS

If you want a wonderful evergreen shrub with a fragrant bloom, here are two great options.

Michelia figo, also called banana shrub. It is a slow-growing, evergreen shrub that reach 6-8 feet tall. It has creamy yellow, fragrant flowers that smell sweet, like bananas. Plant it in partial shade in a rich acidic soil; its water needs are moderate.
Osmanthus fragrans, or Sweet Olive. It is a slow grower, with a broad, densely branched upright form that reaches 10 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide. You can keep it trimmed to 4-5 feet. Sweet olive has dark green, finely toothed leaves and tiny white flower clusters in spring and fall. The flowers have a wonderful apricot-type fragrance. Sweet olive likes a rich, acid soil and has moderate water needs. May need protection in extremely cold winters.

Just plant one or both of these selections and then sit back and enjoy the fruit of your labor!

Lisa Weems, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service