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Pittosporum
I am considering purchasing a Pittosporum , possibly an 'Elizabeth' as I love the variegated colouring but I have noticed that 'Pitto's' tend too grow pretty big. I was wondering, are they fast growers? is it possible to keep them under control? or could anyone recommend anything similar but not as big?
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6-8 feet ... not that large ............ how much space have you got?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks Dove, Sorry I thought I read they grew much bigger than that! but if Verdun says they are happy being kept, then that should be fine. It is just my usual problem of putting things up on my 'banked' area where they are already up on a three foot high wall so I have to factor that in, otherwise it's all going on on top (if you see what I mean)
Thanks to Verdun also.
We have two P. Garnettii, about 20 years old, 7-8 feet tall and we prune twice a year, to no ill effect. They are standards, with a single trunk, and cylindrical canopy. Pittosporum lend themselves well to being topiarised in this way. Neighbouring properties have Pittosporum which are considerably larger, I'd say closer to 15-20 feet tall, but we would find that height unmanageable for pruning.
We also have some younger plants (Wrinkled Blue, Tandara Gold, Gold Star) and these grow very quickly, and are therefore pruned more frequently. I would just avoid pruning in Winter, wait until risk of frost has passed.
The OP was talking about P. Elizabeth - I've never seen it grow larger than my shoulder height - Burncoose certainly regard it as a 'medium shrub' https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/plants.cfm?pl_id=3314&fromplants=pl%5Fid%3D3308
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Meomye,
You should be advised that variegated Pittosporums are not reliably hardy outside the south and west coastal areas of this country. It is not clear where you are situated but if you are in a region that may get the occasional severe winter with temps -10C or worse, accompanied by snow and freezing wind, then you will find these shrubs will be cut down to the ground, if not killed outright.
In the past 6 years where I am, I have had a couple of really bad winters and have lost Pittosporum 'Tresederi'.. 'Silver Queen' and 'Warnham Gold'. I now have 'Elizabeth'.. 'Collaig' and 'Tobira'.
'Ellizabeth' is about 5 foot tall but will grow taller if the winter doesn't stop it, but for me it's likely a matter of when, not if.
The all green tenuifolium is hardier and should survive in most parts here but even with these, when I lived in Kent, newly planted container grown plants during winter were killed the first season. They are lovely shrubs, but for many of us, you need to be aware of the limitations. Their hardiness zones are 9 or above and most of us here in the UK are zone 8, but during the worst winters, occasionally 7B, and that's too cold for these.
Worth taking a chance, but you need to be aware of that.
Verdun wrote (see)
Verdun, I really think you should move up here and face the same climatic difficulties as the rest of us
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.