When to plant and prune Pittosporum
Pittosporum flowers from early May to late May and the dates below cover planting, flowering and the pruning window.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Pittosporum is grown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the same dates apply across the whole UK and every region below reads the same. Where a plant’s timings do follow the frost, Plot shifts them from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| South Coast and Channel | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| South East and Home Counties | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| East Anglia | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| Wales and West Coast | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| Northern England | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| Northern Ireland | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | early September to early October | early May to late May | late May to mid August |
Growing notes
The one genuinely borderline hedge here. RHS rates it H4 and recommends it for milder and coastal areas only: widely planted Pittosporum died at around -8C in many UK gardens in the winter of 2022/23. Lovely wavy, light-reflecting foliage and small honey-scented flowers where it is happy.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 50 cm between plants
- Eventual height
- 250 cm
- Eventual spread
- 150 cm
- Hardiness
- H4
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- No
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 40 litres or more
- Balcony rating
- 3 out of 5
Feeding
A balanced feed in spring supports the dense growth needed for a hedge; avoid late-season feeding.
Pruning: what to avoid
Stop trimming by late summer. Late cuts push out soft growth that will not harden before winter, and this is the hedge in this group most likely to be damaged by frost. Do not cut hedges between March and August without checking first: under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is an offence to damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built, and the main UK nesting season runs from about early March to August.
Pruning group
Trim lightly once or twice between late spring and late summer
Winter protection
In cold or inland gardens shelter it from cold, drying winds and expect losses in a severe winter; fleece young plants during hard frosts.
What usually goes wrong
- frost and cold-wind damage in inland gardens
- sudden dieback after a hard winter
- root rot in wet winter soil
- loses lower leaves if allowed to grow leggy
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for pittosporum.