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Chinese Pittosporum

Pittosporum heterophyllum (pit-toe-SPOR-um het-er-o-FIL-um)

Family: Pittosporaceae Non-native Shrub (3-15 ft)

Chinese Pittosporum is a broadleaf evergreen shrub native to China. It has compact foliage and reaches about 8-10 feet tall and about 5-6 feet wide with glossy green leaves and fragrant pale yellow flowers. Plant in the full sun to partial shade in well-drained soil. Prune it after bloom, keeping in mind that next season's blossoms will appear on old growth. The plant makes a great screen or hedge if planted on 3' centers. It has year-round interest.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 45 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Pittosporum tobira
Fills a similar niche Ilex cornuta Ilex cornuta 'Carissa' Nerium oleander

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
Mature size
Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in. | Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Rounded
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Simple alternate glossy green leathery leaves ovate to obovate base cuneate (wedge-shaped) and apex obtuse. Margins are entire.
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Showy
Flower detail
Fragrant pale yellow to cream 1-5 flowers per cluster appear in late spring into early summer.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
Immature fruits are green turning brown 6 mm across
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Patio
Landscape theme
Cutting Garden; Garden for the Blind
Design feature
Border; Hedge; Mass Planting; Screen/Privacy; Small groups
Garden tags
#heat tolerant #evergreen shrub #yellow flowers #year-round interest #evergreen #fragrant flowers #fast growing #cutting garden #hedge #hortcontest #screen
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Heat

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.