How to Plant a Green Pittosporum

Green pittosporum is a dense shrub with fragrant flowers grown in warm, Southern climates. The creamy, white blossoms bloom in clusters in spring and early summer, filling the air with the fragrance of orange blossoms. The long, leathery leaves form a tight screen when planted as a hedge. Spaced farther apart, the shrub forms a rounded mound and produces an abundance of flowers. Although it tolerates hard pruning and shaping, shearing pittosporums removes the buds and prevents flowering. Plant green pittosporum in full sun or partial shade. It needs a soil rich in organic matter that drains freely.

Yardstick
Shovel
Tarp or old sheet
Cultivating tool

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the depth and width of the plant container with a yardstick, and dig a hole nearly as deep as the container and twice as wide. As you dig, place the soil you remove from the hole on a tarp or old sheet to make backfilling and cleanup easier.
- 2
  Roughen the soil around the edges of the hole with a cultivating tool. This makes it easier for the roots to penetrate the surrounding soil.
- 3
  Turn the shrub on its side near the hole and gently remove it from the container. If the roots around the outer edges are encircling the plant, gently tease them apart or cut through them with a sharp knife.
- 4
  Set the shrub in the center of the hole and lay the yardstick across the hole near the shrub. The plant's root ball should be level with the surrounding soil. If you have to add soil to the hole to raise the plant, press down firmly on the bottom of the hole with your foot.
- 5
  Fill the sides of the hole around the roots with soil from the tarp. Press down with your hands as you go to remove air pockets.
- 6
  Water slowly, allowing the water to sink into the soil as deeply as possible. If the soil settles, add additional soil to level it out.

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