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Shrubs

Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Purpureum' (m)

tawhiwhi 'Purpureum'

Open, evergreen shrub about 3m tall and 1.5m wide, with pale green, wavy-margined, glossy, new spring leaves, gradually changing in colour to deep bronze-purple. Small, honey-scented, bell-shaped dark purple flowers are produced in clusters, from early summer

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Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Pittosporaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Columnar upright, Bushy
Genus: Pittosporum are evergreen shrubs or trees with simple, leathery leaves and small, often fragrant, 5-petalled flowers, followed by spherical, woody fruits splitting to reveal seeds embedded in sticky pulp
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in sun or light shade, with shelter from cold drying winds. Purple foliage has best leaf colour in full sun. See pittosporum cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds
Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 1; prune hedges in spring or midsummer

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, aphids, cushion scale and pittosporum sucker

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, leafspot and honey fungus (rarely)

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