This plant grows well in full sun with infrequent to occasional or regular irrigation, but looks best in inland gardens in part sun with regular watering. It is tolerant of fairly dry conditions and near seaside conditions. A great upright hedging plant along the coast.

Pittosporum crassifolium is found naturally growing around forest margins and along streams in coastal localities of the Kermadec Islands and northern areas of the North Island of New Zealand. The name for the genus comes from the Greek words 'pitta' meaning "pitch" and 'spora' meaning "seed" in reference to the sticky seeds of many members of the genus and the specific epithet is from the Latin words 'crass' meaning "thick" and 'folia' meaning "leaves" in reference to the leaves of this species, which are thicker than most Pittosporum.

This species was first described in 1833 by the Kew trained English botanist Richard Cunningham and was illustrated in Curtis Botanical Magazine in 1872, but was introduced into California prior to 1871 by Stephen Nolan at his Belle View Nursery in Oakland, California and planted into the Strybing Arboretum in 1899. We grew this useful plant continuously since 1981 and also grew the compact form called Pittosporum crassifolium 'Compacta'. 

Information displayed on this page about Pittosporum crassifolium is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.