A neat evergreen shrub grown for its dense foliage and tidy shape, giving a garden structure in every month.
Pittosporum makes a rounded, tidy bush of small glossy leaves on dark stems, and it clips well if you want a sphere or a low informal hedge. Left alone it holds its shape with almost no help, which is why it turns up so often in modern planting schemes and in pots beside a door.
Plant it in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. It stands up to coastal wind and salt, but a sheltered spot is worth having in the coldest inland and northern gardens, because a hard winter can brown the foliage on the purple and variegated kinds. Water it while it settles in, then it asks for very little beyond a light trim in spring. The tiny dark flowers in late spring are easy to miss and strongly honey scented in the evening, and the foliage is a florist staple that lasts well in a vase.
Supplied as an established plant in a 3 litre pot, ready to plant out or pot on.
Cultural Information
Common Name: Pittosporum, kohuhu
Fully Grown Height and Spread: 0.6 to 2.5m tall and wide, depending on the variety
Growth Habit: Bushy, rounded or upright
Perfect For: Borders, low hedging and informal screening, patio containers and coastal gardens
Foliage: Evergreen, small and glossy, carried on dark stems
Flowering Time: Late spring, small honey-scented flowers on established plants
Planting Position: Full sun or partial shade, including exposed coastal gardens, and happy in a container
Soil Type: Fertile and well-drained
Hardiness: Hardy in most of Britain; give it shelter in the coldest inland and northern gardens
Maintenance: Low; a light trim in spring keeps its shape
Seasonal Interest: Flowers in spring, and evergreen structure through the winter
Type: Evergreen shrub
