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Pittosporum tenuifolium

tawhiwhi

Sold by 39 nurseries

  • Other common names tawhiwhi
    New Zealand pittosporum

    kohuhu

    see more

  • Synonyms Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Nigricans'
    Pittosporum nigricans

    Pittosporum mayi

    see more

  • Family Pittosporaceae

  • Genus Pittosporum are evergreen shrubs or trees with simple, leathery leaves and small, often fragrant, 5-petalled flowers, followed by spherical, woody fruits splitting to reveal seeds embedded in sticky pulp

  • Details P. tenuifolium is a large, broadly columnar evergreen shrub with slender, dark shoots. Leaves rounded, glossy light green, with wavy margins. Small, honey-scented deep purple flowers open in clusters in late spring and early summer

  • Plant range New Zealand

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Bushy

  • Fragrance Flower

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H4

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect West-facing or South-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained

  • SoilChalk, Loam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 4-8 metres

  • Ultimate spread 2.5-4 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 10-20 years

How to grow

Cultivation Easy to grow in fertile, moist but well-drained, soil. May need protection in colder climes especially from cold, drying winds. Plant in full sun for the best leaf effect

Propagation Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types Flower borders and beds Wall-side Borders City & Courtyard Gardens Coastal Cottage & Informal Garden

How to care

Pruning Pruning group 1

Pests Can get glasshouse red spider mite, aphids, cushion scale and pittosporum sucker

Diseases Generally disease free

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