Re: Pittosporums

Tim Longville wrote:
> 

> I don't grow P. crassifolium itself but I do grow a P. crassifolium x
> P. tenuifolium cross, which seems to have most of the virtues of both
> of its parents - and none of what *some* people (!G!) describe as P.
> tenuifolium's vices - and the cross is rapidly making a really
> handsome shrub.
> 
> At least it was. Now I have my fingers crossed - and for P.
> eugenioides and P. revolutum, too - because since Christmas Eve we've
> been having by our standards a real cold snap, certainly the coldest
> since the same period at the end of 95, with temps down to -5C at
> night and barely rising above freezing during the day. I've been
> deliberately (as well as out of sheer idleness and lack of
> organization) cutting down on the amount of winter protection I
> provide, so it'll be interesting to see what does and doesn't survive.
> 'Interesting'?! Ah well, at the worst there'll be plenty of space(s)
> in which to try new plants next season....
> 
Hi Tim
Having got Christmas safely out of the way I can spend a bit of time
catching up with correspondence, especially as our rather nice summer of
a few days ago has turned sour (only momentarily we hope) with overcast,
drizzle and our seasonable but never appreciated gales.

If your Pittosporums are well established I think they should come
through the sort of cold you describe. A few years ago we had a series
of exceptionally frosty nights (nine in a row- a very rare occurrence)
when the mercury dipped to -6C each night, though rising above freezing
each day. Quite a few normally hardy things succumbed, but three
specimens of P eugenioides in adjacent gardens to ours showed no damage
at all.

I must stress though these were well grown trees. Our eldest son, who
has a hobby farm in an area regularly colder than ours in winter, found
that very young and small trees were much more tender than their larger
brothers and several did not survive. The crucial size in that case
seemed to be around half a metre high. No doubt even the littlies could
have survived had they been covered.

While P eugenioides, nice as it, is seems to be a bit limited in its
variability, P tenuifolium appears to be a much more plastic with all
sorts of interesting variations. 

 I must say I do like the basic species with its slightly way leaves
with their rather unusual light bluish-green colour set off by jet-black
twigs. The blackish flowers are richly scented. it seems an obliging
plant and amenable to any trimming one likes to do so it can equally be
grown as a shrub or trimmed up to make a small tree. 

To be accurate, this is one of two sub species (P tenuifolium ssp
tenuifolium). The other P tenuifolium ssp colensoi is apparently  bolder
and more robust with larger foliage and the equally-scented flowers more
conspicuous because they are a lighter colour, however it does not seem
to be much cultivated, I don't know why.

The latest edition of Metcalf's NZ Trees and Shrubs Lists 15 cutivars of
P tenuifolium, which is considerably fewer than Margaret found in her
Palmer's catalogue (I just checked my copy), but probably represents the
most stable and botanically distinct of those on offer. Reading the
descriptions shows the vast majority are natural variations and brought
into cultivation due to the sharp eyes of the people who spied them.

One of my favourites would be 'James Stirling'which is virtually a
miniature version of the species even to tinier leaves. It is  very good
to grow in gardens where space is limited and its pale delicate foliage
would enliven many a planting scheme.

Another feature of the species is the number of coloured-leaved
cultivars including wholly purple forms and others with purple margins,
and also a number of 
variously marked cream and yellow kinds. If room is limited the purple
'Tom Thumb'
is a striking tiny, not over a metre tall. It disconcerted me when I
first came across it during its spring grow as the new leaves on top a
were a strong yellowish-green. Later in the season they gradually
developed their characteristic deep purple tint.

The variety 'Irene Patteson' is  particularly striking, as the leaves
are  mostly white when they first emerge, becoming spattered with green
as they mature and sometimes getting a pinkish tinge over winter. This
one is likely to be pretty hardy as it was found on Christchurch's Port
Hills which often see brief falls of snow over winter, however it seems
a bit tricky to grow (like many plants with much reduced chlorophyll). 

I could go on describing varieties, but I think this could be waste of
time, as I have no idea which have made it overseas. In general I would
say ANY cultivars of tenuifolium would be worth a try and if you like to
send me any actual varietal name I will try to tell you what its likely
final dimensions will be so you can site it appropritaely. I do notice,
by the way, Metcalf does actally list at least one English-bred cultivar
(Silver Queen), which might possibly be better adapted to your
conditions. he does not however mention the cross you are growing, which
makes me think this is very likely English also.

Generally, it appears that you could have success with most tenuifolium
vars, but migh need to protect them in winter until well established.

"Go to it Tim" say I also

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