Once established, wild olive is drought tolerant. It also can tolerate moist soils, and even an occasional flooding. Although its native range is restricted to USDA zones 8 and 9, wild olive is known to be hardy in zone 5. This is the most cold hardy of the cultivated Osmanthus species. Tip cuttings from half ripe wood taken in summer can be rooted under glass.
Usage Use the medium-textured wild olive as a specimen in the shade of tall pines or a big live oak.
Use it in naturalistic settings and wildlife gardens. In a mass, the evergreen wild olive with its upright, oval form, would make an excellent screen. Other species are in eastern Asia, Hawaii and New Caledonia. It is becoming increasingly available in the nursery trade.