Japanese pittosporum
Pittosporum tobira (Thunb.) W.T.Aiton
Also called mock orange.
Dense evergreen shrub with whorled leathery leaves and orange-blossom-scented spring flowers. Very salt- and drought-tolerant.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 2–3.6 m (7–12 ft) tall and 2–3.6 m (7–12 ft) wide; medium growth, about 6 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.25) from the #3 install size.
Bloom
Creamy white flowers, Apr–May (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese pittosporum : Apr–May |
Design notes
- 'Wheeler's Dwarf' and variegated dwarf forms stay near 1 m.
- Afternoon shade in the low desert.
Regions
Native range: Japan, Korea and China.
Not recorded as native to any of the three pilot regions.
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Japanese pittosporum
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.