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Pittosporum tenuifolium Victoria - Kohuhu

Pittosporum tenuifolium Victoria
Tawhiwhi, Kohuhu, Black Matipo, New Zealand Pittosporum

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This variety forms an erect and dense medium-sized bush with beautiful small evergreen foliage, greyish-green in colour with undulate cream-white margins that turn pinkish in cooler weather! Its bright foliage elegantly contrasts with its slender black stems and branches.  Its bell-shaped purple-black flowers are subtle but fill the garden with their strong honey fragrance.  It is a frost-sensitive bush, suitable for Mediterranean climates and tolerant of sea spray.  In regions with harsher winters, it can be grown in a pot and stored indoors during winter. It prefers sheltered positions in full sun and well-drained soil that isn't too dry, where it can be used for hedging or to provide highlights in groups in the background of darker borders.
Flower size
1 cm
Height at maturity
2.50 m
Spread at maturity
1.50 m
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -9.5°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
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Best planting time March to April, September to October
Recommended planting time February to May, September to October
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Flowering time May to June
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Description

Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Victoria' is a variety of pittosporum with small leaves that owes its beauty to its evergreen foliage, greyish green with beautifully undulated cream-white margins. Even more unique, the edges turn a vibrant pink in cooler weather! Its bright foliage elegantly contrasts with its upright, slender black stems and branches. In early summer, its blackish-purple bell-shaped flowers are subtle but fill the garden with their strong honey fragrance. It is a tender shrub, adapted to the Mediterranean climate and tolerates sea spray, heat, and drought but not as well as its relative Pittosporum tobira. In regions with harsher winters, grow it in a pot and store it indoors during winter. It prefers sheltered positions in full sun and well-drained soil that is not too dry. Of medium size and fast-growing, it can be used to form hedges or provide highlights at the back of a border.

                                                             

This shrub belongs to the family Pittosporaceae and is native to the dry regions east of the New Zealand Alps. The 'Victoria' variety forms a dense and upright shrub over time that reaches 2.5m (8ft) in height and 1.5m (5ft) in width. Its black and branching stems bear evergreen, alternate, entire, ovate, thick, shiny, leathery, undulate-edged leaves. The leaves are small, not exceeding 3 to 4cm (1 to 2in) in length and 1.5 to 2cm (1in) in width. They are greyish green with cream-white margins, turning pink under the influence of cool nights in the late season. Flowers appear from May to June. The small cup-shaped flowers, less than 1cm (1in) in diameter, are sublte and appear in the axils of the leaves and release a fragrance most noticable at night. They are followed by the formation of a few round fruits, initially green and then almost black when ripe.

 

Hardy down to -7C°/-10C°, Pittosporum 'Victoria' requires a dry, not too chalky, well-drained soil and a warm, sunny position with protection from prevailing winds. It is best to grow it in a pot in regions where the winter is very cold. In mild climates, it can be planted in the back of a border in groups of 3 to 5 plants or as a standalone specimen. This fast-growing variety can be used to quickly create beautiful, informal hedges that are very resistant to coastal or dry garden conditions. In colder regions, it can be placed in a container on a terrace to enjoy its delicate fragrance and Mediterranean charm. Pair it with perennial geraniums, lavender, rosemary, Grevillea, Escallonia, or combine it with the silver foliage of Artemisia.

 

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Pittosporum: planting, growing and pruning
Family sheet
by Valérie 11 min.
Pittosporum: planting, growing and pruning
Read article

Pittosporum tenuifolium Victoria - Kohuhu in pictures

Pittosporum tenuifolium Victoria - Kohuhu (Foliage) Foliage

Plant habit

Height at maturity 2.50 m
Spread at maturity 1.50 m
Habit irregular, bushy
Growth rate fast

Flowering

Flower colour purple
Flowering time May to June
Inflorescence Corymb
Flower size 1 cm
Fragrance Very fragrant, Honey and vanilla fragrance
Fruit colour green

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour variegated
Product reference • 1008031

Planting and care

Pittosporum 'Victoria' should preferably be planted in spring in a cold climate, or in September-October in mild climate. Plant it in a fertile, dry, not too chalky and well-drained soil. At planting, mix leaf compost and coarse sand with your garden soil, up to 50%. Water your plant well once or twice a week to promote good root growth.  Not very hardy , to -7°C (19.4°F), choose a warm location, in full sun which is sheltered from prevailing winds. Keep the base of the plant mulched.  Plant it along a south-facing wall in regions with harsh winters. In cooler climates, cover it with a winter veil or shelter it in a frost-free conservatory for the winter season. To help it branch out during the first years of planting, pinch the young shoots. Prune mature plants at the end of the season, removing the branches that appear untidy. It is entirely possible to shape it into a ball or a hedge, as it tolerates pruning well.

 

Planting period

Best planting time March to April, September to October
Recommended planting time February to May, September to October

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Rockery
Type of use Back of border, Free-standing, Container, Hedge
Hardiness Hardy down to -9.5°C (USDA zone 8b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Neutral, Any
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, Well-drained.

Care

Pruning instructions Pruning is not essential, but you can prune the branches of the young plant in late winter.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time April
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Needs protection

Planting & care advice

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