Re: xenohortphobia?

Jason D wrote:
> 
> I have mixed feelings about both the ngaio and the P.
> crassifolium (karo?). The ngaio can have a pleasing
> umbrella shape like the umbrella pine, and i love the
> coarse bark, but if it's ill-pruned it's hideous, very
> twiggy. Perhaps it's the glossy bright green leaf on a
> tree that will endure 6 months of absolute drought
> here in Cal. that pleases me, too. And the fragrance
> of the flowers can be somewhat nice. Plus is grows
> very fast.


> P. crassifolium tends to have awkward form and
> distended trunks here, but I am fond of those
> rust-colored flowers and unsplit grey fruits. However,
> once the fruits split they make a big mess. The
> variegated forms are marvelous, but very rare here.
> The pygmy forms are delightful too. My favorite NZ
> Pittosporum is P. eugenioides, with its silver bark,
> black petioles, and night-scented flowers. A delight.
Hi Jason
I wont labour my dislike of the Ngaio, though I recogise its worth as a
cast-iron coastal species. 

I have already talked about Pittosporum crassifolium, but would like to
confirm it Maori name is Karo. (ka-ro, Maori syllables are uniformly
unaccented).

I would like though to endorse your approval of P eugenioides, whose
Maori name is Tarata but is commonly known to European gardeners as
Lemonwood. There is also here a mildy variegated form, but not I think
more attractive than the type. 

One of its interesting features is its growth habit - Young trees are
very tidily tapering with a real christmas-tree profile and this lasts
about maybe ten years, after which the branches fall apart in a more
informal arrangement so the adult tree becomes round-headed. We had the
opportunity to study this first-hand when a neighbour grew one on his
big sloping from lawn which is in full view of our kitchen windows.

They do seed very freely here. There is one in the next-door garden
right on the fenceline which is I am sure responsible for the many
seedlings which come up all over our garden. Most of these I save and
pot for my eldest son who is trying to eatablish a woodland garden on
his hobby-farm property. We did have one of our own (also self-sown),
but removed it some years ago because it was overgrowing species we like
better.

Best wishes 

Moira

-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata (near Wellington, capital city of New Zealand)
-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata (near Wellington, capital city of New Zealand)
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