The low-growing shrub has clusters of spoon-shaped creamy-yellow and green leaves growing densely at the ends of branches. Avoid piling mulch directly against the base of the trunk. Its elegant bearing, the tender green of its leafage and its nice blooming make this tree a must-have in our gardens. By planting a pittosporum hedge, you can grow a tall privacy screen in your backyard. Pittosporum tenuifolium Tom Thumb is a compact shrub with a rounded shape, and bears small, dark purple leaves. Amend with a mix of garden soil and soil mix to promote proper root development. Most of the time, selective pruning -- cutting only a few branches, thinning them to the point where the stem originates -- is all your pittosporum needs to look good. Above: A clipped hedge of Pittosporum tobira. Pittosporum shrubs are ideal as hedging plants because they grow fast, have dense evergreen foliage, and are easy to prune. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40 years' experience; writing for over 20 years. Apart from its ornamental glossy green leaves, the attractive features of pittosporum hedging plants are their white scented flowers, excellent growth rate, and ability to thrive in full sun or shade. Keep the root ball consistently moist but not saturated. Pittosporum responds very well to heavy pruning. Pittosporum tenuifoliam species and cultivars are better suited to cool and temperate climates than tropical areas. The hedging plants tolerate heavy pruning, dont require much care, and mature at around 3 ft. (1 m) tall. This isn't due to the risk of frost killing them, although they are not fully hardy in some part of the UK, but because it may kill new growth. Pittosporum tenuifolium is a small tree or large shrub that grows 13 26 ft. (4 8 m) tall and up to 13 ft. (4 m) wide. Any time you prune, but particularly when pruning diseased tissue, use a tool sterilized with isopropyl alcohol, a 10 percent bleach solution or household antiseptic cleaner. It will also encourage new growth, which can be helpful if your plant is starting to look a bit leggy. Not sure which Pittosporum - Kohuhu to pick? Grow Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb' in a sunny, sheltered site in well-drained soil. No real interest in it's width being tidied, apart from a little trim perhaps. Flowers from May to June. . Never use any information from Gardenality to diagnose or treat any medical problem. Cookies, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Common names for Pittosporum undulatum include Victorian box, Australian cheesewood, native daphne, and mock orange. We aim to enrich everyones life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. Accept The densely branching habit of this shrub has a columnar, pyramidal form. Join now and start creating your dream garden! The best time to prune kohuhu is in the spring. Position: full sun. Grows up to 2-3 ft. tall and wide (60-90 cm). If you are shaping a single plant trim in April or May and for a hedge trim annually in April and June. Pittosporum shrubs have leathery green leaves with wavy margins that grow in whorls at branch ends. Generally pest free. The pittosporum cultivar Golf Ball has a compact, rounded shape consisting of densely growing bright green oval leaves. Pittosporum Tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb' from Burncoose Nurseries available online to buy - Information: dwarf purple new growth emerges light green. Kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium), also known as Tawhiwhi, is a broadleaf evergreen shrub or tree that can grow to over 30 feet and 15 feet wide. Look into the centre of the shrub and snip off any broken, split or wounded branches. Variegated pittosporum can reach 8 to 12 feet tall and 12 to 18 feet wide when planted in full sun to partial shade. Pittosporum prefer well-drained soil in full sun but they do tolerate some shade. Looks Pittosporum hedges are typically hard, pest and disease-free shrubs when grown in proper conditions. While several cultivars of kohuhu are ideal for container gardening, it is not considered a houseplant. Plus d'info juste ici Abonnez-vous et entrez dans la vie de notre ppinire en Bretagne ! The foliage of Pittosporum is excellent for flower arranging. The dense evergreen foliage creates attractive screens, privacy barriers, hedgerows, or specimen plants. If a standalone or part of a shrub bed, read out guidelines on. The pittosporum Silver Star cultivar has moderate growth and matures at 12 ft. (3.6 m) tall and 5 ft. (1.5 m) wide. We treat them much like Box or Privet, focus on the shape, but don't worry about cutting through the foliage. If you choose a Pittosporum tenuifolium that is not compact, pruning will be necessary to maintain a hedge, however, the plants are low maintenance. This pretty Silver Sheen hedging shrub grows up to 16 ft. (5 m) tall and 13 ft. (4 m) wide. protect it from the cold for it to survive winter with no damage at all. Gardenality does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Kohuhu can be propagated easily by taking cuttings or layering. When planting a pittosporum hedge in your garden landscape, space the plants around 3 ft. (1 m) apart. In spring, small, creamy-yellowish scented flowers appear. Carefully dig up the rooted plant and transplant it to the new location. Often used as a hedge, the shrub can be kept at any height you like -- depending on how much you like to use your. Pittosporum should be grown in a sheltered position in well drained fertile soil. For example, you can grow it as a small tree with variegated foliage by removing lower stems. The best time to prune kohuhu is in the spring. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. After new growth has emerged in late spring, prune stray branches to maintain the shape and size you desire. Foliage colour Bronze,. The shrub is best trimmed lightly if you want to maintain that shape, but you don't need to trim it if it's not essential. Information entered by Gardenality members is not endorsed by Gardenality, Inc. If you do want to prune your Pittosporum the best times are between April and July. Meet the Gardenality Team. Some varieties bear inconspicuous, dark purple honey-scented flowers. However, if you'd like to give it a try, here's how: Container-grown kohuhu should be placed in a sheltered location away from strong winds. This Pittosporum is best propagated with semi-ripe or well ripened cuttings in late summer. So, planting this way ensures that a dense privacy screen grows. The shrubs or small trees will thrive in fertile, well-draining soil. of mulch under the tree to preserve moisture and prevent weeds. The evergreen leaves are purple, which contrast the green new shoots. It needs frequent pruning to keep its size in check, especially when young. Its ideal for growing against a south-facing wall or as a display in its own right in a gravel garden or container. As a shrub, remove up to one-third of the tallest, oldest stems to the base to control the size of a pittosporum in early spring after all threat of frost if you don't care about the flowers, or wait until blooms fade. Use a landscape pin to keep the branch firmly in place in the soil. Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb' (Kohuhu) is a slow-growing, evergreen shrub of dense and rounded habit boasting striking, dark young stems clothed with beautiful, small, wavy margined, deep purple leaves. This reduces transplant shock by encouraging root growth near the trunk. I have some planted in a north facing bed which gets sun until lunchtime . The attractive features of this hedging plant are its small leaves, low maintenance, and short stature. All the evergreen hedge needs is some light pruning to keep its shape, water during hot weather, and to ensure it grows in well-draining ground. P. tenuifolium seems to tolerate all manner of growing conditions. It's best grown in full sun for colour. The first in Spring, after all risk of frost has past, and the last in Autumn well before the risk of frost. Transplant to a permanent location in the spring. Use a plant cover during extreme weather to prevent damage to limbs and foliage. Hi there. . Pittosporum tenuifolium is the ideal shrub for screening, hedging, or borders in a warm, subtropical climate. This versatile showy little shrub begins the spring with pretty light green new growth which mature to a dark eye catching deep purple foliage, the contrast between the two is very eye-catching and offers many creative garden design possibilities. The mojo pittosporum is a dwarf mounding, evergreen shrub with green and creamy variegated leaves. High levels of humidity are well-tolerated. Plant in full sun or shade and only water during summer if the weather is particularly hot and dry. However, suppose you want a low-growing hedge with dense evergreen foliage. Livestock, No reported toxicity to Height 1m. GROWING PITTOSPORUM TENUIFOLIUM IN CONTAINERS Patricia Hamilton Reed has written professionally since 1987. For example, Pittosporum tenuifolium Golf Ball has bright green oval leaves. The compact shrub thrives in the sun or shade and adapts to all types of soil. Although moderately drought tolerant, pittosporums begin to show signs of wear if the soil is left too dry. If you want to grow Photinia Red Robin as a hedge, individual plants should be about 75cm (2ft 6in)apart for a quick growing dense hedge. Or there is the Pittosporum tenuifolium Tom Thumba dwarf hedging plant with purple leaves. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Flowering period: May to June. 222879 / SC038262, Free entry to RHS members at selected Sometimes, clusters of fragrant, tiny, black-red flowers appear in late spring and early summer. The fast-growing hedge has a rounded, spreading growth habit. They come in various sizes, from large and conical to compact and domed, with shiny, often variegated or colourful leaves and small scented flowers. Divided into 3 groups these lists, linked below, are maintained by a team of RHS staff and are reviewed annually. Some pittosporum cultivars have variegated leaves with interesting shapes and textures. All pittosporum love to be in the sun but 'Tom Thumb' and other dark leaved varieties are particularly wonderful because the more sun they get, the richer and darker the leaves become. A pittosporum shrub with variegated leaves allows you to grow an attractive hedge with green and creamy-white leaves. They will tolerate light frost but not sustained periods of freezing temperatures. Use sharp scissors to cut off damaged, dying, or diseased branches from the bush. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Pittosporum represents a large genus of flowering shrubs and trees, many of which are used as interesting specimens in landscape design. If the water level is not corrected, the plant may die. 8.8K views 10 years ago This lovely pittosporum with a plum coloured evergreen leaves is called "Tom Thumb" as it is smaller growing than the species. We use cookies on this website, you can read about them here. Use a sharp knife to remove a sliver of bark at the contact point. You can use the short shrubs to grow in containers, accent taller plants, or plant at the front of house in full sun or shade. Prune regularly when young to create a dense growth. When the plant is potted, protect it from the cold for it to survive winter with no damage at all. If growing in a rainy winter environment, make sure the container does not become water-logged. Once the plants reach 3 to 4 inches, transplant into a larger pot. In that case, a dwarf pittosporum is ideal as a shrub border. The affected leaves develop dark spots and eventually fall off. An advantage of the mojo pittosporum is that it is cold-hardy in zones 7 through 10. May need protection in colder climes especially from cold, drying winds. Allow up to 12 months for strong roots to form.