Shrub
Kohuhu
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in May | |||||||||||
| Plant | Plant in April | Plant in May | Plant in September | |||||||||
| Prune | Prune in April | Prune in July | ||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in January | Looks good in February | Looks good in March | Looks good in April | Looks good in May | Looks good in June | Looks good in July | Looks good in August | Looks good in September | Looks good in October | Looks good in November | Looks good in December |
Overview
This New Zealand shrub is grown mainly for its foliage: small, glossy, wavy-edged leaves held on dark stems, prized by florists. Tiny chocolate-purple flowers in late spring are easy to miss, but their honey scent in the evening is a treat. Choose 'Tom Thumb' for purple leaves, 'Golf Ball' for a naturally round dwarf, 'Silver Queen' or 'Irene Paterson' for silvery-white variegation, and 'Warnham Gold' for golden tones.
Where to grow kohuhu
It shines in seaside gardens, tolerating salt spray and wind, and makes a dense, fast hedge in the south and west. Inland and further north it needs a sheltered spot with good drainage, as hard frosts combined with cold wind can kill it. Dwarf forms suit pots and modern planting schemes.
Planting
Plant in spring so the roots establish before winter, or in early autumn in mild districts. Avoid waterlogged ground and add grit to heavy clay. For hedging, space plants roughly 50–60 cm apart.
Care through the year
Spring
Check for frost damage and feed with a general fertiliser once growth resumes.
Summer
Water newly planted shrubs and containers in dry periods and clip hedges in midsummer.
Autumn
Stop feeding so the soft growth can ripen before the colder months.
Winter
Wrap young or potted plants in fleece in freezing, windy weather and keep pots off saturated ground.
Pruning
Shape plants in spring, after frosts have passed, and give hedges a second trim in July. It tolerates regular clipping into topiary shapes. Cut back any frosted shoots to healthy green wood in late spring once you can see what has survived.
Propagation
Semi-ripe cuttings in late summer root with gentle bottom heat; expect lower success than with easier shrubs, so take several. Seed from the species germinates, though variegated varieties will not come true.
Common problems
Cold winds and severe frost are the biggest threat, causing scorched or blackened foliage. Pittosporum psyllid, a sap-sucking insect, can distort young leaves; clip out affected shoots. Soft scale and sooty mould occasionally appear on stressed plants.
Guides to the problems most likely to affect kohuhu:
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in April, May, July and September. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.