Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Purpureus'
Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Purpureus'
Purple False Holly

Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Purpureus'

£14.99
Hardy in the UKEvergreen
Pot size
17cm / 2L £14.99

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Description

Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Purpureus' is the purple false holly, a Victorian selection whose spring growth emerges a dramatic blackish purple and matures to glossy, deepest green, spined like holly but neater and denser. In September and October it quietly produces clusters of tiny white flowers with a sweet apricot-jasmine scent that carries far beyond the plant.

Hardiness and seasons. Rated H5 by the RHS, hardy to around -15C, it is widely regarded as the toughest form of the species and needs no protection in most of the UK. Evergreen and slow, it builds to 2.5 to 4m over 10 to 20 years and takes clipping well.

In the garden. Use it where you would use holly but want more refinement: a dense informal hedge or evergreen screen, a clipped shape in a large container, or structure at the back of an exotic border, where the purple new growth reads as something far more exotic than it asks you to work for.

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All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Purple False Holly

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Purple False Holly

Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Purpureus' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −15°C and stands a UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Screening & Privacy

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H5 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −15°C

RHS H5 (-15 to -10C), hardy through most of the UK including severe winters, and considered the hardiest selection of the species. Shelter young plants from the coldest drying winds in their first winters. See what to expect from outdoor plants.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeNorth-facingEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered

Full sun or partial shade, any aspect, exposed or sheltered. The purple flush on the new growth is strongest with some sun.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

Any well-drained or moist but well-drained soil: chalk, clay, loam or sand, acid to alkaline. Genuinely unfussy once established.

Watering

Water through the first one to two seasons, then drought-tolerant and undemanding. Trim in late spring if shaping (pruning group 9). Read moreShow less

Water through the first one to two seasons, then drought-tolerant and undemanding. Trim in late spring if shaping (pruning group 9).

Mature size

Height2.5 to 4m (RHS)
Spread1.5 to 2.5m (RHS)

Reaches full size in 10 to 20 years

Growth habit

Bushy

Flowering

Late summer and autumn (September to October): clusters of small, tubular, sweetly fragrant white flowers tucked among the leaves · White

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

RHS pruning group 9: minimal pruning needed; trim or lightly shape in late spring after any frost risk, as growth begins. Takes clipping and even hard renovation well (Majestic Trees notes it withstands heavy pruning), so it also works as a dense informal hedge or clipped shape.

Toxicity

No toxicity flagged by the RHS; Osmanthus is generally regarded as non-toxic to people and pets.

Native range

Japan and Taiwan (species)

Family

Oleaceae

Also known as

Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Purpureus'

Genus

Osmanthus
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is osmanthus the same as holly?

No, despite the leaves. Hollies carry their leaves alternately along the stem; osmanthus carries them in opposite pairs, which is the quickest way to tell them apart. Osmanthus belongs to the olive family, and unlike holly it rewards you with strongly scented flowers.

When does it flower, and is the scent really that good?

September and October, and yes. The flowers are small and half-hidden among the leaves, but the fragrance, sweet, warm and apricot-like, drifts across a garden on still autumn days, from a plant that looks like it should have no scent at all.

Does it make a good hedge?

An excellent one. Dense, evergreen, spiny enough to be a deterrent, happy clipped, and slower than laurel so it needs far less cutting. Trim once in late spring and it stays crisp all year.

How hardy is it?

H5, around -15C, which covers most of the UK including hard winters. It is generally considered the hardiest of all the Osmanthus heterophyllus forms, so it is the one to choose for a cold garden.

Will it grow in shade and on chalk?

Yes to both. It is comfortable in partial shade, though the purple flush is stronger with sun, and it is entirely happy on chalk, clay, loam or sand, acid or alkaline.

How fast does it grow?

Slowly: expect roughly a metre in its first decade. That slowness is a feature, not a flaw; it holds its shape, never swamps its neighbours, and suits a large pot for years.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
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From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

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Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

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Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Purpureus'
£14.99