Plant in full sun to shade and irrigate occasionally to regularly - as with most Pittosporum this plant is relatively drought tolerant in coastal California gardens once established but looks best with an occasional deep watering. Hardy to at least 15 F. Great for use as a screening plant or where dark foliage is needed in the garden.

We received this plant in 2001 labeled as Pittosporum tobira 'Oakleaf' and while its leaves are elliptic like Pittosporum tobira, it has a distinct acuminate tip and undulating margins that are not revolute as in typical Pittosporum tobira. This great screening or barrier plant came to us from the "Grassman", John Greenlee, who had acquired it from Texas plantsman and author, Scott Ogden. Scott told us that he first learned about Pittosporum 'Oakleaf' while he worked at Aldridge Nursery in Von Ormy, Texas and that he thought it of hybrid origin. The story he heard was that the late Richard Aldridge, Jr., the owner of Aldridge Nursery, had brought it to Texas from a California source in the 1960s. We were able to speak with Richard Aldridge's sons Mark and David, who now run Von Ormy Growers, and they thought their father may have received the plant from a grower in LaGrange, Texas. We would love to be able to trace it further back, but time seems to have covered the tracks of history and this fantastic plant's origins may remain a mystery. We have sold this plant since 2008 and in that time it has become a very popular plant. We have an amazing large specimen in the nursery garden that is 6 feet tall and 12 feet wide. It was extensively used along the banks of the Lotus pond in the 2019 renovation of the Japanese Garden at Ganna Walska Lotusland Botanic Garden. For more information about one of the parent species see our listing of Pittosporum tobira. 

This information about Pittosporum 'Oakleaf' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.