Evergreen shrubs or small multi-stemmed trees known as Pittosporum are popular hedge plants. The leathery green leaves of Pittosporum bushes grow in whorls at branch ends and have wavy edges. screens, privacy barriers, hedgerows, and specimen plants are all created by the dense evergreen foliage. Pittosporum trees are popular container plants that may be cultivated on a patio, deck, or at the front of a home in colder regions.
Pittosporum is a low-maintenance shrub that thrives in most garden environments and requires minimal care. Zones 8 to 10, for example, are favorable for pittosporum hedges. To keep its form, water during hot weather, and ensure that it grows in well-draining soil, all evergreen hedge needs is a little trimming. The appealing qualities of pittosporum hedging plants include their white scented blooms, rapid development rate, and adaptability to grow in full sun or shade.
The popular names for Pittosporum include Austrian laurel, mock orange, and Japanese pittosporum. This article is a guide on how to grow different varieties of pittosporums in your garden. You’ll also learn how to make this hardy shrub into a lovely addition for gardens by growing it. Before we talk about how to create beautiful ornamental hedges, we’ll take a quick look at pittosporum plants.
Pittosporum Hedge
Because they grow quickly, have thick evergreen leaves, and are simple to prune, Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Silver Sheen’ hedge is an excellent hedging plant. Pittosporum hedge plants are also drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant, and heat-tolerant. pittosporum is one of the fastest-growing plants for hedges, and it comes from a variety of popular hedge shrubs like Boxwood (Buxus).
Pittosporum bushes are popular as low-maintenance barriers and screens due to the shrub’s attractive foliage. Variegated leaves with unusual forms and textures are seen in some pittosporum cultivars.
The bright green oval leaves of Pittosporum tenuifolium, for example, are called “Golf Ball.” Spoon-shaped dull green leaves with creamy-white edges characterize Pittosporum tobira ‘Variegata.’ A dwarf hedging plant with purple leaves is the Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Tom Thumb.’
You may create a tall privacy fence in your yard by planting a pittosporum hedge. The popular pittosporum bushes grow between 8 and 13 feet (2.4 and 4 meters) tall and broad, depending on the cultivar. But, if you want a low hedge with thick evergreen leaves, adjust the height. As a shrub border, a dwarf pittosporum is particularly suitable.
How to grow pittosporum hedge
Plant the shrub in any type of well-draining soil and you’ll have a pittosporum hedge. If the weather is particularly hot and dry, plant in full sun or shade and only water in the summer. In the spring, apply slow-release shrub fertilizer to help your plants thrive.
Space pittosporum hedge plants 3 feet (1 meter) apart when you’re planting them in your garden landscape. Between 6 and 8 feet (1.8 and 2.4 meters) wide, Pittosporum bushes may be found. As a result, a thick privacy screen develops wherever this technique is used.
Trimming pittosporum hedge
Pittosporum tobira low hedge trimming is necessary every spring to keep the hedge looking good and encourage thick foliage development. When trimming the hedge, don’t cut it too low on the pittosporum. Instead, in the first two years, remove about half of the new growth.
Leave the base wider than the top from year three, when you begin shaping the hedge. As a result, the majority of the foliage receives sunlight. You can cut the pittosporum hedge to maintain its form and shape once it has reached its desired height. You should trim infected limbs back to the main stem if you see dead branches or pink stems.
Variegated Pittosporum (Pittosporum variegata)
You may grow a beautiful hedge with green and cream-white leaves by growing a pittosporum shrub with variegated leaves. Variegated cultivars of pittosporum exist in several species. The ovate or obovate green leaves with thin whitish or yellowish wavy margins are common on variegated pittosporum plants.
Types of Pittosporum (With Pictures)
The Pittosporaceae family of pittosporum plants includes over 150 species of shrubs and tiny trees. In USDA zones 8 through 10, most pittosporum varieties are hardy. Several variegated cultivars, on the other hand, may only grow in zones 9 and 10. Some of the most popular pittosporum hedging shrubs and plants are discussed in further detail below.
Japanese Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira)
The Japanese pittosporum is a leathery spoon-shaped leafed evergreen shrub that features white scented flower clusters. It is an ornamental evergreen shrub. The Japanese pittosporum shrub grows 8 to 13 feet (2.4 to 4 meters) tall and 4 to 8 feet (1.2 to 2.4 meters) broad, and is also known as mock orange or Austrian laurel.
Japanese pittosporum is a popular hedge plant because of its dense foliage. The leaves are spatulate or obovate in form with a large, rounded end. The leaves are up to 2″ (5 cm) wide and 1″ – 3″ (2.5 – 7.5 cm) long. On woody stems, the pittosporum leaves are alternately arranged.
Pittosporum hedge
Plant a Japanese pittosporum in well-drained soil to grow as a dense living barrier or privacy hedge. The spreading, rounded growth pattern of the fast-growing hedge Pittingosporum pruning helps to maintain their desired size and form.
Pittosporum tobira ‘Variegata’
The dark green spatulate leaves with narrow creamy-white margins of the Japanese pittosporum cultivar ‘Variegata’ are attractive. The hedging plant, like other pittosporum variants, produces late-spring blooming flower clusters that are mildly scented. A little dwarf shrub that grows 5 to 10 feet (1.5 – 3 meters) high, the variegated Japanese pittosporum is a compact plant.
In a garden landscape, the variegated pittosporum has several uses. By removing lower stems, for example, you may grow it as a tiny tree with variegated leaves. If you live in colder climates, you can plant the shrub in containers and overwinter it indoors. Foundation plantings and shrub borders may also be made with the small decorative shrub.
Pittosporum hedge
Plant the Japanese pittosporum ‘Variegata’ 3 feet (1 meter) apart to create an evergreen hedge with variegated leaves. The bushy plant will grow into a lovely tall barrier, privacy screen, or live wall in no time at all.
Mojo Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira ‘CNI Three’)
The mojo pittosporum is a green and creamy variegated shrub that grows to be about one foot tall. Whorls of spatulate glossy green leaves with irregular creamy edges make up the rounded shrub. The height of this small pittosporum plant ranges from 3 to 3 feet (1 to 1 meter).
As an accent plant, container shrub, foundation planting, or border plant, this easy-grow landscape shrub has a low-growing, compact habit. Small, scented flowers with a creamy yellowish color appear in the spring. The mojo dwarf shrub thrives in full sun or partial shade, as do all pittosporum plants. The mojo pittosporum is cold-hardy in zones 7 through 10, which is an advantage.
Pittosporum hedge
The dwarf mojo pittosporum is an excellent option if you’re looking for a low-growing evergreen hedge. It provides year-round color to any garden landscape, thanks to its bright green and creamy leaves.
Wheeler’s Dwarf Japanese Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira ‘Wheeler’s Dwarf’)
The dwarf Japanese pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira ‘Wheeler’) is a tiny rounded hedge with deep, glossy green leaves. The spatulate leaves on the low-maintenance plant are 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) long. The pittosporum cultivar known as the ‘Wheeler’s Dwarf’ grows to a height of 2 or 3 feet (0.6 or 1 m) and a width of 5 feet (1.5 m).
The evergreen ‘Wheeler’s Dwarf’ Japanese pittosporum has a short stature that makes it ideal for window cultivation, small group cultivation as an accent plant, or full-sun ground cover. This small shrub may likewise be grown in a pot on a patio or deck.
Pittosporum hedge
Ideal for growing as a short hedge, the pittosporum known as the “Wheeler’s Dwarf” is ideal. Without the need to prune its height, the plant will create a 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 1 m) high hedge in mass plantings. To compliment taller bushes, grow the bushes along driveways, fences, or.
Turner’s Pitt Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira ‘Turner’s Variegated Dwarf’)
Pittosporum tobira ‘Turner’s Variegated Dwarf’ is a tiny shrub that has many applications in a bright garden setting. Clusters of spoon-shaped creamy-yellow and green leaves appear densely at the ends of branches on this low-growing shrub. The ‘Turner’s Pitt’ is one of the tiniest pittosporum bushes, measuring just 2.5 feet (0.7 m) tall and 3 feet (1 m) broad. ‘Turner’s Pitt’ pittosporum may be used in a variety of ways in the landscape. The little plant thrives in sunlight or shade and adapts to a variety of soils. Grow in pots, highlight taller plants, or position at the front of the house in full sun or shade with the small shrubs.
Pittosporum hedge
The Japanese pittosporum cultivar ‘Turner’s Pitt,’ for example, is one of the best low-growing hedge hedging plants. The tiny shrub may form a modest, ornamental living barrier on fences or walkways.
Pittosporum tenuifolium
Pittosporum tenuifolium is a little tree or large shrub that grows to 13 feet (4 meters) tall and broad. The leaves are glossy green, leathery, and ovate to oval in shape with wavy margins. The leaves can even be curled at times. On the shrub, little purple flowers bloom, although their dark color makes them practically invisible.
Kohuhu or Tawhiwhi are two names for this evergreen shrub, which is endemic to New Zealand. Many Pittosporum tenuifolium cultivars with varied purple, silver, or variegated leaves may also be found.
Pittosporum hedge
In a warm, subtropical environment, Pittosporum tenuifolium is the best screening, hedging, or border plant. To make a towering evergreen privacy screen, grow them in a line at least 3 feet (1 meter) apart. In coastal regions and full sun or partial shade, the dense hedgerows will flourish.
Marjorie Channon Pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Marjorie Channon’)
The Pittosporum tenuifolium cultivar ‘Marjorie Channon’ is a lovely decorative shrub with a rounded form and oval gray-green leaves with creamy-white borders. ‘Marjorie Channon’ pittosporum is a bushy shrub that grows 8 to 12 feet (2.4 to 3.6 meters) tall and wide, with thick year-round foliage on dark stems.
The ‘Marjorie Channon’ requires little care and thrives in most soils, like other pittosporum species. The flexible evergreen plant is suitable for group planting, specimen trees, and attractive bushes with a pyramidal form.
Pittosporum hedge
The dark stems contrast with the bright green and white foliage to make a striking ornamental hedge. The pittosporum can be maintained as a low-growing hedge with regular pruning.
Golf Ball Pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’)
Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’ is a compact, rounded plant with tightly growing bright green oval leaves. The small leaves, low upkeep, and short stature of this hedge plant make it appealing. It grows 3 to 4 feet (1 to 1.2 meters) tall. The pittosporum cultivar known as the ‘Golf Ball’ is ideal for formal gardens, edgings for driveways, or container cultivation on a patio, deck, or entryway due to its uniform growth and deep foliage.
Along a fence, wall, or around a border, you may also grow the versatile shrub. One of the greatest choices for a boxwood hedge is this pittosporum.
Pittosporum hedge
Pittosporum bushes, often known as golf ball pittosporum, are ideal for low-growing hedges. Hedging plants grow to be about 3 feet (1 m) tall and can take considerable pruning.
Emerald Wave Pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Silver Star’)
The Emerald Wave pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium) has clusters of tiny wavy-edged ovate-shaped glossy green leaves with black stems. The pittosporum cultivar ‘Silver Star’ grows to 12 feet (3.6 meters) tall and 5 feet (1.5 meters) broad. The shrub, like other pittosporum species, is tolerant of drought and heat and has minimal upkeep requirements. Shrub borders, mass planting, or a specimen shrub or tree are examples of landscaping ideas for the Emerald Wave pittosporum.
Pittosporum hedge
In mass plantings, the Silver Star pittosporum cultivar makes an excellent hedge or privacy screen. Your yard is protected year-round by the thick foliage. The hedge’s informal shape will be maintained by minimal pruning.
Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Silver Sheen’
Little, silvery-green oval leaves on thin, dark purple stems characterize the cultivar Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Silver Sheen.’ This shrub has a columnar, pyramidal habit that is densely branching. This 16-foot-tall (5-meter) and 13-foot-wide (4-meter) hedge plant is known for its silver sheen.
The ‘Silver Sheen’ pittosporum is suited for topiary because of its densely growing tiny leaves. You can grow it as a foundation planting or in a container by the front door, or plant it in a mixed border.
Pittosporum hedge
This works well as a hedging plant because of the tiny oval leaves of the pittosporum variety ‘Silver Sheen.’ Moreover, if you want to create a stunning formal hedge in a garden landscape, the thick foliage can withstand pruning.
Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Tom Thumb’
Pittosporum tenuifolium is a dense, slow-growing compact shrub with a rounded growth habit. It is known as Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Tom Thumb.’ It features light green young growth and tiny scented inconspicuous dark flowers. Its wavy decorative dark purple leaves are adorned with white veins. The little plant grows to 2–3 feet (0.6–1 meter) tall and wide. As an accent plant, low border along a fence or wall, or in a container, grow ‘Tom Thumb’ pittosporum in full sun or partly shaded location on well-draining soil.
Pittosporum hedge
When contrasted against green or variegated foliage of other shrubs or grasses, Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Tom Thumb’ dwarf size is ideal as an attractive low hedge. It grows to be about 3 feet (1 meter) tall and requires little care.
Pittosporum undulatum
Pittosporum undulatum is a tall shrub or small tree with huge glossy green elliptical leaves and distinctive wavy edges. It has large green leaves and blooms. 2.3” to 6” (6 – 15 cm) long and 1.5” (4 cm) wide, the pointed leaves may be up to 6 inches long. Clusters of white fragrant blooms and tiny orange fruits are additional characteristics of this lovely shrub.
Pittosporum undulatum grows to 50 feet (15 meters) tall without trimming. The foliage, which is evergreen and adapts to a variety of soil conditions, thrives in full sun. Pittosporum has become an invasive species in several countries, such as Australia. Victorian box, Australian cheesewood, native daphne, and mock orange are all common names for Pittosporum undulatum.
Pittosporum hedge
In landscapes, trimming Pittosporum undulatum as a privacy screen or hedge is the most common way to grow it.
Is Pittosporum a Toxic Plant?
Cats, dogs, and other animals are safe from Japanese pittosporum plants. Pittosporum tobira is a non-toxic plant, according to the ASPCA.
Common Problems Growing Pittosporum Hedge
When grown in the correct environment, Pittosporum hedges turn out to be tough, pest-free plants. To avoid any foliage fungal diseases, usually growing in well-drained soil and giving adequate air circulation is sufficient. Hedging shrubs may be infested with mealybugs, aphids, or cottony cushion scale sometimes.
In most cases, you may physically remove the pests from the leaves by using a forceful stream of water. Neem oil is another option for removing insects from a pittosporum hedge. Treating a big hedge with a sharp blast of water from a hose, on the other hand, may be more difficult with a DIY neem oil solution.