PITTOSPORUM tenui. Tom Thumb G

PITTOSPORUM tenui. Tom Thumb G

Pittosporum tenuifolium Tom Thumb is a compact, slow-growing evergreen shrub valued for its small, gently wavy leaves that mature to a deep purple hue, often richest in cooler weather. In late spring to early summer it may carry small, dark purple flowers that are usually unobtrusive. For Irish gardens, plant in sun or light shade in a moist but welldrained, fertile soil, and provide shelter from cold, drying winds; ideal for low hedging, clipped mounds, and yearround structure in mixed borders.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Sun or light shade Rate of Growth: Slow Soil: Moist but well-drained, fertile soil Hardiness: Hardy (RHS H4, to about -10C); shelter from cold, drying winds Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Plant at a Glance

light:sun
light:light-shade
facing:south
facing:west
facing:east
facing:north
soiltype:moderate-fertile
soilmoisture:normal
foliage:evergreen
flowering:may
flowering:june
flowercolour:purple
leafcolour:purple
size:90cm-2m