Plant Profile: Pittosporum heterophyllum

Names

Chinese Pittosporum

  • Photo of Pittosporum heterophyllum (Pittosporum heterophyllums)

Phonetic Spelling:pi-TOS-po-rum het-er-o-FIL-um

Genus:Pittosporum

Species:heterophyllum

Family:

Chinese Pittosporum is an evergreen shrub with broad leaves, originally from China. This compact plant typically grows to a height of 8 to 10 feet and spreads about 5 to 6 feet wide, featuring shiny green leaves and sweetly scented pale yellow blooms. For optimal growth, prune it after flowering. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil. When planted at 3-foot intervals, it serves as an excellent screen or hedge, providing visual appeal throughout the year.

Pittosporum heterophyllum Feature Summary

Pittosporum heterophyllum Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#fragrant flowers
#heat tolerant
#yellow flowers
#cut flowers
#year-round interest
#hedges
#fast growing
#screening
#evergreen shrub

Similar Plants

Pittosporum heterophyllum is often confused with:

Pittosporum heterophyllum Feature Summary

Fruit
Immature fruits are green turning brown 6 mm across
Green
Brown/Copper
Flowers
Fragrant pale yellow to cream 1-5 flowers per cluster appear in late spring into early summer.
Gold/Yellow
Cream/Tan
Fragrant
Good Cut
Showy
Spring
Summer
Leaves
Simple alternate glossy green leathery leaves ovate to obovate base cuneate (wedge-shaped) and apex obtuse. Margins are entire.
Ovate
Obovate
3-6 inches
Glossy
Leathery
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
Stem
Brown/Copper
Green
Landscape
Cutting Garden
Garden for the Blind
Border
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Small groups

Pittosporum heterophyllum Attributes

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Country Or Region Of Origin

China

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Pittosporum heterophyllum Fruit

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Fruit Description

Immature fruits are green turning brown 6 mm across

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Fruit Color

grass
Brown/Copper
grass
Green

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Pittosporum heterophyllum Flowers

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Flower Description

Fragrant pale yellow to cream 1-5 flowers per cluster appear in late spring into early summer.

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Cream/Tan
filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Pittosporum heterophyllum Leaves

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Leaf Description

Simple alternate glossy green leathery leaves ovate to obovate base cuneate (wedge-shaped) and apex obtuse. Margins are entire.

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Pittosporum heterophyllum Whole Plant Traits

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Pittosporum heterophyllum Cultural Conditions

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Pittosporum heterophyllum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
11a
thermostat
11b
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Pittosporum heterophyllum Stem

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Stem Color

grass
Brown/Copper
grass
Green

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Pittosporum heterophyllum Landscape

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Pittosporum heterophyllum: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland