what is osmanthus?

By Danielle DesRosiers

We’ve been spying osmanthus in the small print of many a perfume press release lately, prompting us to dig a little deeper.

The small evergreen osmanthus fragrans shrub blossoms in the late summer and early fall, and its flowers can range in color from silvery white to golden orange. It is native to Asia and southern Japan. Its highly fragrant flower is renowned for its succulent fruity notes akin to apricot, peach and plum: no wonder it’s a popular bloom in these days where fruity-floral spritzes are the rage.

Osmanthus is derived from the greek word osma, meaning fragrant, and anthos meaning flower, and the bloom is dripping with tradition. Viewed as the symbol of love and romance, it was once used in Taiwanese wedding customs: the bride would carry osmanthus on her wedding day to her new family.

Fragrances with notes of osmanthus: Calvin Klein Escape, Gucci Flora, Jo Malone Osmanthus Blossom