Choosing a Pittosporum for your garden is not simply a matter of picking the variety with the fastest growth. Different cultivars have different mature sizes, foliage colours, growth habits and landscaping uses. Some are suited to taller privacy screens, while others are better for narrow boundaries, compact hedges, borders or feature planting.
The current Online Plants Pittosporum collection includes 14 varieties, ranging from larger screening plants such as Screen Master and Silver Sheen to compact forms such as Golf Ball and Hole In One. Understanding these differences can help you choose a plant that matches your available space, desired hedge height, sunlight and maintenance preferences.
Understanding Pittosporum Before You Choose a Variety
Pittosporum is a group of evergreen shrubs and small trees commonly used in Australian residential landscaping for screening, hedging, borders and feature planting. Many of the varieties in this collection have dense foliage and respond well to pruning, making them useful where a defined shape or controlled size is required.
However, “Pittosporum” does not describe one uniform plant. Mature size can vary significantly between cultivars. For example, Screen Master is listed at around 5–6 metres when allowed to grow, while Golf Ball is a compact form that can remain around 50cm high and wide.
This difference is important when planning a boundary or garden bed. Always consider the plant's mature dimensions rather than choosing based only on the size of the nursery pot.
Pittosporum Varieties in the Current Collection
Screen Master
Pittosporum Tenuifolium Screen Master is a vigorous, upright and bushy form intended for screening and hedging. Online Plants lists a potential height of around 5–6 metres and notes that it can be maintained at a lower height through regular pruning. It has glossy green foliage and small fragrant cream-coloured flowers in spring.
This makes Screen Master worth considering for larger boundaries where substantial screening is required, provided there is enough room for the plant to develop.
Silver Sheen
Pittosporum Silver Sheen is distinguished by its silvery-green foliage and larger overall growth habit. The current product information gives a potential height of around 4–8 metres and width of 3–4 metres, although actual size depends on growing conditions and pruning.
Its foliage provides a softer visual effect than a conventional dark-green hedge, making it useful for screens, hedges, windbreaks and mixed planting.
Green Pillar
Pittosporum Green Pillar has an upright form and lime-green foliage, with the current product information listing a mature height of approximately 3–4 metres and width of 1–1.5 metres.
Its relatively narrow habit makes it worth considering where screening is required but garden width is limited. The plant prefers good light and well-drained soil, with light pruning helping to maintain its form.
Golf Ball
Pittosporum Golf Ball is one of the most compact Pittosporum options in the collection. It naturally develops a rounded shape and is listed at approximately 50cm high and wide.
Rather than using it for a tall privacy screen, consider Golf Ball for low borders, edging, mass planting, rockeries or as a small evergreen feature. It performs best in full sun but can tolerate part shade.
Pittosporum Eugenioides 'Variegatum'
Pittosporum eugenioides variegatum is valued primarily for its variegated foliage and ornamental appearance. The product information describes it as an evergreen shrub or small tree with attractive foliage and a preference for well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade.
It can provide visual contrast in a mixed garden where foliage colour is as important as screening.
Limelight
Pittosporum Limelight has lime-green foliage and a larger growth habit. Online Plants lists it as reaching approximately 4–6 metres under suitable conditions and recommends starting pruning early if a lower hedge is required.
This is an important consideration with larger Pittosporum cultivars: regular formative pruning from an early stage can help develop a denser, more controlled hedge.
Screen Between
Pittosporum Screen Between has a narrow, upright growth habit and silvery-grey foliage. The current product information lists a mature height of approximately 3–4 metres and width of 1–2 metres.
It is therefore suited to gardeners looking for an evergreen screen without the wider footprint associated with some larger Pittosporum varieties.
Hole In One
Pittosporum Hole In One is a compact evergreen form with a rounded, multi-stemmed habit. The current product information gives a size of approximately 50cm high and wide and describes its use for low hedging and border planting.
Its compact dimensions make it particularly relevant to small garden beds where a large screening shrub would be unsuitable.
Wonder Screen
Pittosporum Wonder Screen is another vigorous, upright Pittosporum designed for hedging and screening. Online Plants lists a potential height of around 5–6 metres and notes that it can be pruned to maintain a lower screening height.
Like Screen Master, it is more appropriate for larger screening projects than compact borders.
Tasman Ruffles
Pittosporum Tasman Ruffles is a smaller evergreen shrub with jade-green foliage and distinctive ruffled leaf edges. The product information states that it naturally maintains a compact habit and can reach approximately 3 metres at maximum height.
It can be considered where a neater, more compact hedge or screen is required.
Snow Leopard
Pittosporum Snow Leopard stands out for its variegated foliage and bushy evergreen habit. Online Plants lists it at approximately 2.5–3 metres high and around 1 metre wide at maturity, with the ability to be pruned smaller.
Its narrower proportions and variegated leaves make it useful for screening where foliage interest is also important.
Ralphii Stephens Island
Pittosporum Ralphii Stephens Island is described as a small evergreen shrub reaching approximately 1–2 metres. It has glossy dark-green leaves with wavy margins and fragrant creamy-white flowers in spring.
Its smaller mature size can make it more appropriate for garden beds and lower-scale planting than the taller screening forms.
Pinnacle
Pittosporum tenuifolium pinnacle has a narrow, upright and columnar habit. The current product information lists approximately 3–4 metres in height and around 1 metre in width.
This combination of height and narrow width makes Pinnacle relevant to driveways, tight boundaries, formal hedging and modern garden designs.
Perfect Pillar
Pittosporum Perfect Pillar has an upright form and lime-green foliage, with a listed mature height of approximately 3–4 metres and width of 1–1.5 metres. Online Plants recommends spacing of around 80cm–1.2m when used for screening.
It can provide a structured evergreen screen while maintaining a relatively narrow footprint.
How to Choose the Right Pittosporum for Your Garden
Start with the space available rather than the appearance of the plant in a nursery pot.
For tall privacy screening, larger forms such as Screen Master, Wonder Screen, Silver Sheen and Limelight may be worth considering. For narrow screening, Green Pillar, Pinnacle, Perfect Pillar and Screen Between offer more upright growth habits.
For compact borders, Golf Ball and Hole In One are more appropriate choices because their mature dimensions are considerably smaller. For decorative foliage, consider varieties such as Snow Leopard, Limelight, Eugenioides Variegatum or Screen Between.
The final choice should also account for sunlight, soil drainage, expected maintenance and the mature width available along the boundary.
Planting and Caring for Pittosporum in Australia
Most of these Pittosporum varieties perform best in well-drained soil. Avoid locations where water remains around the roots after rain. The individual product information consistently emphasises drainage, while watering requirements vary according to climate, soil and establishment stage.
Newly planted Pittosporum should receive reliable watering while roots establish. Once established, some varieties can tolerate drier conditions, but prolonged heat and drought may still require additional deep watering.
Mulching around the root zone can help reduce evaporation and moderate soil temperatures. Keep mulch away from direct contact with the main stem.
Pruning is particularly important when growing Pittosporum as a hedge. It is generally better to begin shaping plants while they are young rather than allowing them to become tall and woody before the first major cut. The exact pruning approach should reflect the cultivar's natural growth habit and the finished height you want.
Find a Pittosporum That Fits Your Space
The current Pittosporum collection demonstrates why choosing by variety matters. A compact plant such as Golf Ball serves a very different purpose from a larger screening form such as Screen Master or Wonder Screen. Narrow cultivars such as Pinnacle and Green Pillar can be useful where width is restricted, while variegated forms provide additional foliage interest.
Before purchasing, compare mature height, width, sunlight requirements and intended use. This helps create a hedge or garden planting that is easier to maintain and better suited to the available space.
For further research, this article can internally link to the Pittosporum collection, individual Pittosporum product pages, and related screening and hedging plants to help visitors move naturally from variety selection to purchase and ongoing garden planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Pittosporum is suitable for a narrow garden?
Narrow upright varieties such as Pinnacle, Green Pillar, Perfect Pillar and Screen Between can be considered where width is limited. Always check the expected mature dimensions before planting.
Which Pittosporum is suitable for a low hedge?
Golf Ball and Hole In One are compact options in the current collection. Tasman Ruffles can also be considered where a somewhat taller compact hedge is required.
Can Pittosporum be pruned into a hedge?
Yes. Several varieties in the current collection are specifically described for hedging or screening. Regular formative pruning can help maintain the desired height and density.
Does Pittosporum need full sun?
Sun requirements vary between varieties, but many of the listed Pittosporum forms perform in full sun or part shade. Good light, suitable soil and adequate drainage are important for healthy growth.
How far apart should Pittosporum be planted?
There is no single spacing suitable for every variety. Planting distance should be based on the cultivar's mature width, desired hedge density and pruning regime. Check the individual product information before calculating the number of plants required.