Pittosporum tobira

An attractive evergreen shrub that is dense, compact, broad-spreading, and up to 13' tall in the Pittosporaceae family.  It is a tough durable shrub that can withstand severe pruning, is drought, heat and salt spray tolerant. It has showy fragrant blooms that smell like orange blossoms and appear in late spring (April-May).  It makes an excellent specimen plant. its evergreen dense, sympodial growth makes a good screen, hedge, or barrier. This plant also does good in mass planting or planting in containers. Where it is not wintering hardy it grows well as a container plant that can be moved indoors when temperatures cool down. It can also be grown as a houseplant in well-lit areas of the home.

This plant is extensively utilized in Florida, but is a perfect plant for zone 8 and for sandy, coastal locations because of its tolerances. Will do well in full sun to heavy shade, it's heat and drought tolerant. This plant also does well in acidic to alkaline soils, but prefers well-drained soils. It is salt, clay, and sandy soil tolerant. It grows well in hardy zones 8-10, has a fast growth rate, and is easily transplanted. Fruit is in the fall, its non-edible fruit capsules ripen but are often hidden by the foliage and are non-ornamental. Once open at maturity showy red seeds are revealed. Leaf margins will curl inward if stressed. White, orange-scented blossoms turn yellowish upon pollination. 

No serious insect or disease problems though aphids, scale, mealybugs, root-knot nematodes, and whiteflies may occur. Leaf spot, bacterial blight, and crown/root rot can also cause problems.  This plant is frequently damaged by deer. Avoid wet or poorly-drained soils where root rot is more likely to develop. Its cultivar, 'Variegata', has grey-green leaves edged with white.

Quick ID Hints:

• Evergreen, obovate leaves with entire margins
• Dense, compact medium to large shrub with sympodial growth
• Fragrant, 5-petaled flowers in terminal umbels