White Lotus Aromatics Newsletter - Osmanthus, August 10, 2001
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Osmanthus
Dear Friends- I hope that many of you have had the opportunity to enhale the heady aroma of fresh osmanthus flowers, one of the true delights of the earth plane. The tiny inconspicous flowers of this delightful plant bloom in the fall months and fill the air with a rare perfume that surrounds one and penetrates deep into the heart. On the Filoli Estate where I worked for almost a decade we had a golden flowered osmanthus growing in a large bed of Chinese Tree Peonies which never failed to delight one with its intoxicating aroma on a crisp autumn day. I hope that you will enjoy this article which is written in honor of this wonderful tree and the ethereal concrete and absolute prepared from its flowers.
Viewing the Mid-Autumn Moon Wang Jian
In the moonlit courtyard crows are nesting in the trees;
Osmanthus flowers soundlessly are dampened by the dew.
Tonight's the night that all will view the brightness of the moon:
Upon whose homes will autumn sadness linger*.
http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~yanxia/photo_moon.html
Legend says that in ancient times the Emperor held ceremonies to offer
sacrifices to the sun in spring and to the moon in autumn. Later, the rites
became prevalent among the common people. According to the book Nianjie Quhua
"Amusing Stories about the Festivals", during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) Emperor
Xuanzong's travel to the Moon Palace added to the festival's charm and importance.
It is said that during a midautumn evening, while the Emperor was enjoying the
moonlight, a magic Taoist priest named Luo Gongyuan invited him to visit the
Moon Palace. Luo threw his stick into air, immediately, a silver bridge from
the heavens stretched before them. Across the bridge, there was a magnificent
palace before them. A plaque above the gate read "Guanghangong (Vast and Cold
Palace)". By the gate stood a tall, sweet-scented osmanthus tree and a white
rabbit standing under the tree mixing a medicine for eternal life. As the Emperor
entered thegate, grotesque mountains and exquisite jade buildings fascinated
him. Hundreds of beautifully-dresses dancing maidens surrounded him accompanied
by melodious music and entertaining him with delicious cakes shaped like the
full moon. Upon returning to the earth, the Emperor ordered cakes modeled after
his vision.
http://www.travel10k.com/english/kaleidoscope/midau.asp
Description of Osmanthus
Techical Description (from Flora of China):
Shrubs to small trees, evergreen. Leaves opposite, simple, petiolate; leaf blade
entire or serrate, usually glandular dotted. Inflorescences cymose, fascicled
in leaf axils or in very short and axillary or terminal panicles; bracts 2,
united at base, usually ciliate. Flowers bisexual, usually becoming unisexual
and plants dioecious or androdioecious. Calyx campanulate, 4-lobed. Corolla
usually white or yellowish, campanulate, cylindric, or urceolate, lobed, parted,
or divided almost to base; lobes 4, imbricate in bud. Stamens 2(-4), mostly
attached to upper half of corolla tube; connective usually minutely mucronate,
elongated, or projecting. Ovules 2 in each locule, pendulous. Stigma capitate
or 2-cleft. Abortive pistil subulate or conical. Fruit a drupe; endocarp hard
or bony; endosperm fleshy; radicle erect.
http://www.systbot.gu.se/staff/evawal/oleaceae/osmanthus.html
Simple description:
Broadleaf evergreen tree or shrub with a moderate growth rate. zones: 7 - 9
native to: China size:10-20' tall by 10-20' wide; 30' max. notes: Size is smaller
in colder areas. Leaves: color: glossy dark green size: 2-4" shape: simple notes:
Leaves may burn in strong sun. Flowers: color: white season: variable size and
type: cyme notes: Really fragrant. Fragrance can be smelled from a distance.
Smells a bit like apricot. Most fragrant of the Osmanthus. Flowers usually hidden
by foliage. Fruit: color: dark blue size: 0.5" type: drupe
Images-
http://www.huis.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/~nomura/K/kinmok.html
flower and leaf
http://www.hortpix.com/pc2992.htm
tree
http://www.gartendatenbank.de/bilder/osmanth.htm
wonderful image of flowers and leaves
http://www.floridata.com/ref/o/osm_frag.cfm
nice images and plant description
http://www.naturaline-nature.ch/artikel/descript/a142b.htm
beautiful image of golden osmanthus
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/images/osm_fra.jpg
superb close up of the flowers
Ethnobotany
Edible Uses
Condiment; Fruit.
The unripe fruits are preserved in brine like olives[183]. The very fragrant
flowers are used by the Chinese to impart a pleasant aroma to tea, wine and
sweet dishes such as lotus seed soup, pastries and steamed pears[2, 46, 61,
183]. They are also added to herbal medicines in order to disguise obnoxious
flavours[178]. The flowers have a scent of apricots[146].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer Antitussive.
The flowers are antitussive[218]. They are used in cosmetics for the hair and
skin, but are mostly used to flavour other medicines[218]. A decoction of the
stem bark is used in the treatment of boils, carbuncles etc[218]. A decoction
of the lateral roots is used in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea, rheumatism,
bruises etc[218].
Other Uses
Essential; Repellent. An essential oil is obtained from the flowers[178]. Used
as a flavouring. The flowers are used as an insect repellent for clothes[146].
http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Osmanthus+fragrans
Osmanthus Guangxi Guihua Tea In the Yangtze River Valley and in many places
in the south, for over two thousand years, the Chinese have cultivated
a fragrant evergreen shrub known as sweet osmanthus. Also known as "sweet olive"
or "fragrant tea olive", the osmanthus plant produces tiny white flowers that
are exceedingly fragrant. The osmanthus is one of the ten famous traditional
flowers of China. For hundreds of years the city of Hangzhou has had a festival
where people gather to appreciate the osmanthus while tasting foods made with
osmanthus and performing popular songs and dances. Both the blossoms and the
leaves of this plant are highly aromatic and are used in the production of some
of the world's rarest and most expensive perfumes. Fortunately for tea lovers,
the Chinese discovered that the osmanthus can also be used to enhance the natural
fruitiness of some of their finest green and black teas. The result is similar
to fine jasmine tea but lighter and much fruitier. In Guangxi province in the
city of Guilin, especially along the Lijiang River, the osmanthus bush is common
and plentiful. There the leaves from the osmanthus are sometimes mixed in with
partially fermented green tea to produce a lovely aromatic tea. For flowery
"hua" tea, crushed osmanthus blossoms are added to black tea to produce the
delightful Guangxi Guihua. The allure of Osmanthus tea can be powerful in the
afternoon or evening and is perfect for those times when you want something
seductive yet satisfying. Great with dessert.
http://www.stashtea.com/w-111006.htm
Sweet Scented Osmanthus Rain at Manjuelong Valley
Manjuelong lies in the mountainous area south of the West Lake. Buddhist temples
used to stand in the valley during the Wu and Yue Kingdoms Period. The monks
planted sweet-scented osmanthus in the valley. As time went on, the osmanthus
in blossom in the valley became an autumnal allure to Hangzhou residents The
valley is flanked by hills where springs are abundant and trees flourish naturally.
The geographic advantages and monk's heritage has made the valley a paradise
of osmanthus trees. Villagers have been living on osmanthus flowers from generation
to generation since the Ming Dynasty. Now all households in the valley without
exception have their own osmanthus groves. Osmanthus trees can been seen everywhere
in the valley. They are in front of or behind farmers' houses, inside and outside
of the village, along both sides of the road, and all over the sloping hills.
When the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival approaches, osmanthus trees begin to blossom
after the sun, breezes and rains combine their wonders together and give the
trees autumnal feelings. The sweet fragrance can be wafted miles and miles away,
gladdening tourists' hearts and refreshing their minds. When dew is heavy at
dawn, flowers will fall floating like a rain in a breeze. Strolling through
the osmanthus trees at such a rainy moment, one can enjoy the osmanthus rain
and its aroma. Such an experience could be quite unique. Sweet-scented osmanthus
is Hangzhou's city flower. The flower has four different colors and is known
separately as golden, silver, orange, and four season osmanthus. The Osmanthus
Festival is now an annual occurrence after the valley was listed as one of the
top ten new scenic spots around the West Lake in 1985. A visit to the osmanthus
valley in the autumn has become a must for tourists and local residents.
http://www.hzwestlake.com/mlgye.htm
Osmanthus Absolute
Physical description-olive green viscous liquid
Olfactory description-very rich sweet, ethereal floral fruit bouquet.
The fruity notes are a bouquet in themselves as they partake of apricot, plum
and raisins. In combination with the intensely sweet floral notes one has a
most exotic perfume The strength and tenacity of the absolute is superb lasting
well on the perfume blotter even after 24 hours. This is a very heady fragrance
http://www.leffingwell.com/osmanthus.htm
superb detailed gc of Osmanthus absolute. This type of gc is rarely seen. It
requires very sophisticated equipment and a superb database for this type of
readout.
SHANGHAI SWEET OSMANTHUS FESTIVAL
Shanghai Sweet Osmanthus Festival is held every year in the 8th lunar month,
in Guilin Park at a time when the sweet osmanthus blossoms are in full bloom.
The sweet osmanthus is one of the 10 famous flowers in China. Its refreshing
fragrance floats in the air, far and wide, and is much beloved by people. In
Guilin Park, different species of sweet osmanthus are grown, like the golden
and the silvery osmanthus. Under a sunny autumn sky the blossoms attract crowds
of visitors. While appreciating the flowers they can also enjoy the open air
movie, art performances, karaoke, mask ball and fashion show. On Guilin Road
there is a Sweet Osmanthus Village with bamboo fences and thatched cottages,entertaining
guests with the fragrance of wine in an antique and unsophisticated environment.
http://www.shanghai-rr.com/e-shrr/sightseeing/folk/main-2.htm
Osmanthus Flower-Stuffed Small Yuanxiao and Five-Colored Small Cakes from
the Lianhu Cake and Dumpling Restaurant Stuffed
small yuanxiao is one of Nanjing's traditional sweet foods. The filling is made
by mixing five kinds of kernels, ground sesame seeds, minced osmanthus flowers
and sugar. After mixing well it is pressed into a cake, then cut into cubes.
These cubes are put into a square-bottomed bamboo basket, sprinkled with a little
water, before flour is added made of a glutinous rice. The basket is rocked
so that the four evenly coats the cubes, which should become small stuffed balls.
Next, boil the balls in water, adding sugar and osmanthus flowers. The yuanxiao
will become as white as jade, and the fragrance of osmanthus flower will make
your mouth water. Five-colored small rice cakes come in five shapes and five
varieties. The cakes are small and exquisite, soft and sweet, as well as being
suitable for both adults and children.
http://www.chinavista.com/experience/nanjing/food.html
Osmanthus fragrans in Chinese Medicine
Osmanthus fragrans flowers ("Gui Hua) are used in Chinese medicine to "reduce
phlegm and remove blood stasis" (K.C. Huang)
For the wedding custom in Taiwan in early years, the bride must prepare sweet-Osmanthus and pomegranate pot plants and carry with her to her new family. This had the meaning of "giving birth to noble children", "many childrenand many grandchildren". For modern people, although this custom is no longer popular, yet the fresh fragrant sweet-Osmanthus is still very much welcomed. http://www.sertek.com.tw/temp/bmtcg/english/exploring/nankang/ c1.htm
Memory Guide > Research reports > Herz, R.S. (1997).
The effects of cue distinctiveness on odor-based context dependent memory. Memory
and Cognition, 25, 375-380. smell can aid memory if the same smell is present
during the original experience and when you are trying to remember it works
best if the smell is unfamiliar if the smell is familiar, it is better if it
is unusual in the context The effect of smell on learning and memory was investigated
in an experiment that used three different ambient odors (osmanthus, peppermint,
and pine). Osmanthus was used to see whether there was a difference in performance
depending on whether the smell was novel or familiar. Peppermint and pine were
used to see whether the appropriateness or inappropriateness of the smell made
a difference to memory. In the experiment, subjects were individually shown
into a room in which the odor was present. Their attention was called to the
smell, and to ensure their attention to the smell, they were given a questionnaire
to fill out about the room environment. They were left alone in the room for
ten minutes to promote encoding of contextual cues. The experimenter then read
out a list of 20 common nouns, pausing after each one for the subject to describe
an event that the word reminded them of. Memory for the words was tested 48
hours later. It was found that word recall was best when the novel odor (osmanthus)
was present during learning and again at testing. Among the familiar odors,
recall was better if the smell was contextually inappropriate (peppermint).
The improvement in recall only occurs when the odor is present at both encoding
(learning) and retrieval (testing). Clearly, smell is a good contextual cue. http://www.memory-key.com/ResearchReports/herz97.htm
http://www.ironboat.com/travel/jsjs/jsxlsg.htm
osmanthus flowers in china
http://www.tuttocina.it/Filatelia/SerieAnno/1995/1995_06.htm
osmanthus stamps