How do you recognise Kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium)?

Leaf

Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Kohuhu

Pittosporum tenuifolium Sol. ex Gaertn.

Also known as: Tawhiwhi, Black matipo

Family: Pittosporaceae

3 to 5 m tall (often clipped lower as a hedge)

Windbreak hedges in mild oceanic climates, borders; sensitive to severe, prolonged frosts

Flowering: April – May

Full sun

Part shade

Hardy to about -10°C

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

Its almost black stems contrasting with the wavy foliage make it one of florists' favourite cut foliages, long before it is planted as a hedging shrub. Japanese mock orange has broader, thicker, glossy leaves grouped in rosettes at the ends of the twigs, with very fragrant white flowers (orange blossom scent), whereas kohuhu has smaller, thinner leaves with wavy margins, borne on blackish twigs.

🍃 Leaves

Evergreen, wavy at the margins, light green to grey-green, sometimes variegated or purplish depending on the cultivar

🌸 Flowers

Small, dark purple to brownish-black, inconspicuous but very fragrant in the evening

🍎 Fruits

Small brown capsules containing resinous seeds

🪵 Bark

Characteristic blackish twigs, contrasting with the pale foliage

🗺️ Distribution

Native to New Zealand; introduced to Europe as an ornamental and florist's shrub

🐝 Value for pollinators

Inconspicuous but fragrant flowers, visited by a few insects in the evening

✂️ Horticultural uses

Windbreak hedges in mild climates; foliage widely used in floristry for bouquets

⚠️ Possible toxicity

Leaves and fruits contain saponins that may cause digestive irritation if ingested, particularly in domestic animals.

⚠️ Look-alike species

Kohuhu

Pittosporum tenuifolium

Japanese mock orange

Pittosporum tobira

Japanese mock orange has broader, thicker, glossy leaves grouped in rosettes at the ends of the twigs, with very fragrant white flowers (orange blossom scent), whereas kohuhu has smaller, thinner leaves with wavy margins, borne on blackish twigs.

🌿 Other Pittosporaceae to discover

Japanese mock orange

Pittosporum tobira

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.