rautāwhiri

Pittosporum colensoi Hook.f. | rautāwhiri

 

A hardy evergreen shrub, Pittosporum colensoi is distinguished by its densely foliated stems bearing small, shiny green leaves. It bursts into numerous small, purple flowers during summer and typically grows to 5 meters tall and 3 meters wide. This makes it a favored selection for coastal and native gardens, suitable for hedging, providing a backdrop for smaller plants, and offering shelter or screening. Compared to Pittosporum tenuifolium, this variety exhibits flatter, glossier leaves and more prominent flowers, though leaf shape isn't consistent across all plants. While naturally less compact, it shows greater tolerance for damp conditions. 

lowland forest

montane forest

coastal forest

forest margins

moist

full sun

partial shade

height | 10m

width | 3m / 40cm (trunk)

flowering | November - December

fruiting |  January - April

The fragrant, 1.5 cm wide flowers feature petals that range from dark to very dark red and typically grow singly from a leaf's axis. The 12mm long seed capsules, which mature between January and April, have three thick, woody sections, each holding several sticky, black seeds.