Pittosporum viridiflorum
Sims
Pittosporaceae
A highly polymorphic species, which accounts for the large number of synonyms[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
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- 0
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- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Pittosporum antunesii Engl.
Pittosporum commutatum Putt.
Pittosporum dalzielii Hutch.
Pittosporum feddeanum Pax
Pittosporum floribundum Wight & Arn.
Pittosporum kapiriense Cufod.
Pittosporum kruegeri Engl.
Pittosporum lynesii Cufod.
Pittosporum malosanum Baker
Pittosporum mannii Hook.f.
Pittosporum quartinianum Cufod.
Pittosporum rhodesicum Cufod.
Pittosporum ripicolum J.Léonard
Pittosporum sinense Desf.
Pittosporum spathicalyx De Wild.
Pittosporum ustulatum Cufod.
Pittosporum vosseleri Engl.
Common Name: Cape Pittosporum
General Information
Pittosporum viridiflorum is an evergreen plant, varying widely in size from a shrub about 4 metres tall to a large forest tree up to 30 metres tall, with a bole up to 50cm[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
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- http://www.plantzafrica.com
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- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
,
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
The tree has local medicinal uses, yields a dye and a useful wood. It is sometimes grown as a hedge. With its sweetly fragrant flowers and shiny, orange-red seeds, it is often grown as an ornamental plant in gardens[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
- Publication
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- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Tropical Africa, mainly in the east from S. Africa to Ethiopia, but also in the west; Yemen and India.
Habitat
Drier types of forest and evergreen bushland; rain-forest; farmland derived from these vegetation types; bamboo forest; degraded Juniperus procera forest; riverine and swamp forest, humid woodland; sometimes rocky outcrops; 650 - 2,600 metres[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Properties
Weed Potential | Yes |
Medicinal Rating |      |
Other Uses Rating |      |
Habit | Evergreen Tree |
Height | 8.00 m |
Pollinators | Insects |
Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Plants can tolerate some frost[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
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- Year
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- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Succeeds in full sun or semi-shade[
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- PlantZAfrica.com
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- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
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- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. Prefers a well-drained, reasonably moist soil, though it can tolerate some drought[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
The plant has escaped from cultivation and become established in areas outside its native range - it has the potential to become a weed[
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The bark is a bitter emetic and febrifuge[
1683- Title
- The Australian and New Zealand Species of Pittosporum
- Publication
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 43 No. 2, pp 87-188 May 1956
- Author
- Cooper R.C.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Rather dated, but still an excellent treatment.
].
The stem bark, which has a bitter taste and strong resinous or liquorice smell, is used medicinally[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. Decoctions or infusions are widely used to treat stomach complaints, abdominal pain and fever[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
,
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. The roasted bark of young trees is used in the treatment of dysentery[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is said to ease pain and have a calming effect[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
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- Author
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- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
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- Year
- 0
- ISBN
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- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
The dried, powdered root or bark is sometimes added to beer as an aphrodisiac[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
- Publication
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- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
The bark is used as a medicine for anaemia and for preventing abortion in young women[
]..
Agroforestry Uses:
The plant can be pruned and grown as a hedge[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Other Uses
The bark yields a red dye[
].
The root fibre is used in basketry[
].
The plant is rich in saponins and has been used as a soap substitute[
1683- Title
- The Australian and New Zealand Species of Pittosporum
- Publication
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 43 No. 2, pp 87-188 May 1956
- Author
- Cooper R.C.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1956
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Rather dated, but still an excellent treatment.
].
The soft, white wood is little used, but has been utilized for kitchen furniture and shelving[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. It is used for tool handles, spoons and clogs[
].
The wood is used as a fuel[
].
Propagation
Seed - easily grown from seed[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. Unparasitized seed has a germination percentage of 80 - 90%. Sow seeds in trays in a mixture of river sand and compost; cover lightly with fine compost and keep moist[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
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- Author
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- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. Seeds should germinate in 8 - 12 weeks and the fast growing seedlings should be bagged up when they have two leaves[
295- Title
- PlantZAfrica.com
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- Author
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- Website
- http://www.plantzafrica.com
- Publisher
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- Year
- 0
- ISBN
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- Description
- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings[
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- PlantZAfrica.com
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- http://www.plantzafrica.com
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- Year
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- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. Transplants easily[
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- PlantZAfrica.com
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- http://www.plantzafrica.com
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- Year
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- An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
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