Grow Light for Osmanthus: Sweet Olive Blooming in Pots
A grow light for osmanthus helps potted sweet olive stay leafy plus set its tiny, fragrant flowers through winter indoors. Sweet olive is also called tea olive.
The short answer
UF/IFAS notes tea olive grows in full sun or partial shade, though plants in deeper shade may become spindly. University of Missouri Extension notes supplemental electric light is usually the easiest way to give plants enough light indoors. Use a full spectrum LED close above the plant on a timer.
How much light does sweet olive need indoors?
Clemson Extension notes most tea olives thrive in sun to medium shade. NC State Extension advises full sun to partial shade plus notes afternoon shade is a must in southern climates. In cooler areas NC State notes it can grow in pots overwintered indoors.
| Factor | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor light | Full sun to partial shade | Spindly in deep shade (UF/IFAS) |
| Lamp distance | Plant tips 6 to 12 inches away | Light drops fast with distance (Missouri) |
| Hours with window light | 12 to 14 hours | Supplements daylight (Missouri) |
| Daily maximum | No more than 16 hours | Plants need darkness (Maryland) |
| Frost | Avoid | Injury reduces next fall bloom (NC State) |
Source: UF/IFAS, Clemson, NC State plus University of Maryland Extension.
Where should a grow light sit for sweet olive?
Missouri advises placing most plants with their tips 6 to 12 inches from the light source, since intensity drops rapidly with distance. Hang the fixture so it can rise as the plant grows.
How many hours should the light run?
Missouri notes plants with no outdoor light need 16 to 18 hours a day, while 12 to 14 hours may do if some window light reaches them. Maryland advises no more than 16 hours in total. Run lights alongside window light, per Missouri.
How to: step by step
- Set sweet olive in your sunniest window.
- Add a full spectrum LED above the plant.
- Hang the light 6 to 12 inches above the tips.
- Put the light on a timer for a steady day length.
- Watch new growth for color plus spacing between leaves.
- Adjust height or hours as the plant responds.
Troubleshooting
Long, weak stems: low light. Lower the lamp or add hours.
Pale or browning leaves: too much light. Maryland notes excess light turns leaves pale plus brown, so raise the lamp.
Few blooms after pruning: Clemson notes tea olives pruned back severely may take several years to bloom again. Prune lightly.
For lighting see grow lights for cannabis plus led light distance cannabis. Read grow light timers plus cannabis seeds. Kind Seed Co also stocks cannabis seeds.
Sources
- Tea olive, UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Tea olive, Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC
- Osmanthus fragrans (tea olive), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Lighting for indoor plants, University of Maryland Extension
FAQ
Can sweet olive grow under a regular LED bulb?
University of Missouri Extension notes LED plant lights can be made to give the red plus blue light plants need. Household bulbs give less useful light. Missouri also notes high light plants are harder to grow under home lights, so use a plant LED close above the foliage.
Should the light run all night?
No. University of Maryland Extension notes most plants need a period of darkness to develop properly plus advises no more than 16 hours of light a day in total. University of Missouri Extension suggests 12 to 14 hours when some window light also reaches the plant.
Can sweet olive go outside in summer?
Yes, in a container. NC State Extension notes that in cooler climates sweet olive can grow in containers overwintered indoors or as a houseplant. It is frost sensitive, so bring it in before frost. NC State notes afternoon shade is a must in southern climates.
Do plants need a dark period?
University of Maryland Extension notes most plants require a period of darkness to develop properly. It advises lighting them no more than 16 hours a day in total, especially when artificial light adds to natural light. Set a timer so the lamp shuts off each night.
When should sweet olive be pruned?
Clemson Extension advises pruning most tea olives before growth starts in spring, since they flower on current season growth. It notes tea olives rarely need pruning. NC State Extension notes pruning can reduce next year's flowers, so trim only what you must.
