Tarata, Lemonwood, Lemonwood Pittosporum
Pittosporum eugenioides, commonly known as Lemonwood or Tarata, features green-yellow foliage which has a strong lemony smell when crushed. Large clusters of fragrant, lemon-yellow flowers are borne in spring and result in small fruit that attract birds. It typically grows to 12 m tall and 5 m wide with a broad and conical shape. Pittosporum eugenioides is commonly used for hedging, screening, or grown as a specimen.
Suited to regions: | All regions |
Plant type: | Trees |
Height: | 12.00 m |
Spread: | 5.00 m |
Flowering time: | Spring |
Tolerances: | Coastal, Hardy, Wet, Wind |
Garden uses: | Hedging, Parks, Ponds, Pool areas, Screening, Specimen |
Garden styles: | Alpine, Coastal, Formal, Native, Riparian |
Easy to grow? | Yes |
Maintenance requirements | Low |
Growth rate | Medium |
Also known as | Tarata, Lemonwood, Lemonwood Pittosporum |
Pittosporum eugenioides is a popular choice in landscaping projects in NZ. It makes a beautiful hedge and a fantastic screen, but also makes for a lovely specimen or a lush backdrop for smaller plants. It is the gorgeous foliage and versatility of this plant that makes it a popular choice in landscaping. Few other trees can grow on marginal soils and climates and still look amazing.
The Pittosporum eugenioides hedge spacing is generally 50 cm between the plants. If you want the hedge to fill in faster, you can shorten the spacing to 40 cm. However, going wider than 50 cm will have two effects. The first is that the gap between the plants at the base will be harder to fill in and this can cause frustration. The second is that the plants will tend to grow wider rather than upward. At a closer spacing the plants compete for light, and in doing so, they push each other upwards. Therefore, The Plant Company recommends a 40-50 cm spacing to achieve an amazing hedge.
Pittosporum eugenioides trees will grow to a height of about 12 metres. In warmer climates it will reach this height much quicker than in cooler and more exposed sites. Watering and maintaining fertility levels will also influence the time to reach this height.
The growth rate of Pittosporum eugenioides depends on where it is positioned and how well it is cared for. In a warm climate with good growing conditions, it will grow to 12 m tall and 5 m wide in about 8-10 years. Where anything impedes the growth such as drought, wind exposure, cold climates it will grow at a slower rate. While this tree can grow to 12 m tall, it is often clipped to smaller sizes and often into a hedge. Overall, the growth rate is considered medium to fast relative to other NZ native hedging plants.
The Plant Company has the best Pittosporum eugenioides trees for sale in NZ. Our production nursery specialises in growing amazing plants and our logistics team pack them carefully for our customers. The pricing is competitive and the quality is exceptional. Let us look after your tree and hedge needs and impress you with both our products and service!
Pittosporum eugenioides grows best in NZ when planted in full sun or partial shade on a well-drained site. We cannot emphasise enough the importance of good drainage as plants can become diseased and die if drainage is poor, they are waterlogged, or both. It will tolerate coastal environments, wind, and frost.
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