Pittosporum phillyreoides
| Pittosporum phillyreoides | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 15' |
| Speed: | Slow |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Pittosporum phillyreoides (common name: weeping pittosporum)
Propagation: Seed - sow when ripe in the autumn or in late winter in a warm greenhouse[1][2]. The seed usually germinates freely. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, move the plants to a cold frame as soon as they are established and plant out late in the following spring[1]. Consider giving them some protection from the cold during their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 7cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Poor to fair percentage[1].
Basal ripewood cuttings late autumn in a cold frame[2].
Cultivation: Requires a well-drained light loamy soil, succeeding in very dry soils[3][4]. Requires a sunny position[2]. Plants tolerate much wetter conditions in cultivation than they experience in their native habitat[4].
Not very hardy in Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -5°c[2]. Plants succeed outdoors in Cornwall though they need greenhouse protection in other parts of the country[5].
A slow growing plant[4].
Very amenable to pruning, plants can be cut right back into old wood if required[2].
The species in this genus are very likely to hybridize with other members of the genus[2]. When growing a species from seed it is important to ensure that the seed either comes from a known wild source, or from isolated specimens in cultivation.
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[2].
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria.
Habitat: Dry land away from the coast[6]. Often in extremely dry areas[4].
Edibility: Seed - dried and ground into a powder[7][8][9]. Very bitter[10][11][12].
A good edible gum is obtained from this plant[11][9]. It oozes from wounded branches[12].
Medicinal: Antispasmodic, antipruritic, galactogogue. Used in the treatment of eczema, pruritis and colds.
Usage: The plant contains saponins. These have the potential to be used as soap or as a bird repellent. Since they are very bitter they can be sprayed over plants that you do not want the birds to eat. The saponins are easily removed by washing or the next rain shower.
Wood - close grained, very hard. Used for turnery, cabinet making etc[13].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: This plant contains saponins[6][13]. Saponins are found in many foods, such as some beans, and although they are fairly toxic to people they are poorly absorbed by the body and most pass straight through without any problem. They are also broken down i
Also Known As: P. angustifolium.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Holliday, Ivan and Ron Hill. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller, 1974.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lassak, Erich and Tara McCarthy. Australian Medicinal Plants.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Crowe, Andrew. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton, 1990.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Cribb, Alan and Joan Cribb. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana, 1976.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Low, Tim. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson, 1989.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Ewart, Alfred. Recording Census of the Victorian Flora. 1923.