Japanese pittosporum has stiff branches and a dense, broad-spreading habit that takes to pruning well.
Plant it in full sun or partial shade in moist, well-drained soil.
It tolerates drought, salt spray, and other less-than-ideal growing conditions, thriving in almost every instance.
Credit:The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
That said, the hearty shrub can typically be planted with success year-round in its proper growing zones.
To plant a nursery specimen, dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide.
Backfill the hole with garden soil, pressing down lightly to compress it and remove air pockets.
Credit:The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
Water the plant thoroughly.
Light can also influence the overall shape of the shrub.
If planting the shrub in a pot or container, use a mix of perlite and peat.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Beyond moisture issues, Japanese pittosporum can also play host to common pests likeaphids,scale, andmealybugs.
Types of Japanese Pittosporum
There are several different types of Japanese pittosporum.
Catmint
An equally tough perennial,catminttouts the same allure to pollinators that Japanese pittosporum does.
When we think of hydrangeas, we usually think of bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) (shown here) and mountain hydrangeas (Hydrangea serrata).Credit: Courtesy of “Sonia’s Garden” by Sonia Uyterhoeven and The New York Botanical Garden
That said, both plants can grow rather large, so it’s important to space them apart properly.
You should plan to leave 4 to 5 feet of space in between each shrub for growth.
