- Pittosporum
Botanical name: pittosporum tobira
Beginner friendly?: yes
Average size at maturity: 8 – 12 ft in height and about a 5 ft spread
Bloom time: spring and summer
Hardy zone: zones 8 – 11
Flower color: white, yellow, cream
Foliage color: green, yellow, white
Growth rate: grows about 1 – 2 ft in a year
Pruning instructions: responds well to pruning. always prune in the spring. Remove any dead or diseased branches every spring and cut back the main branches to maintain the size of the plant after a few growing seasons.
Propagation methods: cut a stem just below a node and place in water until roots start to emerge
Landscape use: can be easily shaped into a shrub or a tree, very cooperative with statement shaping
Light needs: full sun
Special features: orange-like, scented blossoms
Watering instructions: water a few times a week for the first couple of months. Then reduce watering to only watering when the topsoil has dried out before watering again.
Fertilizing instructions : it is not necessary to fertilize this plant. If you would like to fertilize to promote more growth, you can use 8-8-8 in the early spring
Best time to plant: spring, early summer, fall
Best type of soil: adapts to all kinds of soil
Companion plants: liriope, junipers, red cluster bottlebrush, asiatic jasmine
Toxicity level: non-toxic for humans and pets
Invasive species: no
