Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Golf Ball' – Overview
Common Name: Golfball
Botanical Name: Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’
Family: Pittosporaceae
Origin: Cultivar of a New Zealand native species
Key Features:
- Shape: Naturally forms a dense, compact ball shape (hence the name).
- Height & Width: Grows to about 80 cm to 1 m high and wide. Stays neat and round without much trimming.
- Foliage: Small, shiny, green leaves that are tidy and attractive year-round.
- Growth Rate: Moderate. It holds its shape as it grows.
Growing Conditions:
- Light: Prefers full sun to part shade.
- Soil: Thrives in well-drained soils. Tolerates poor soils and urban conditions well.
- Water: Drought-tolerant once established.
- Frost: Can handle light frosts.
- Maintenance: Low. Occasional trim if needed, but it mostly stays round on its own.
Garden Uses:
- Ideal for formal borders, low hedges, or modern garden designs.
- Works well in containers and as a feature plant.
- A good native alternative to box hedging (like Buxus), but with less disease risk.
Fun Fact:
- Although it’s a native cultivar, ‘Golfball’ is especially popular in urban gardens due to its tidy, structured look and low care needs.
- Its parent species, Pittosporum tenuifolium, is known for its black stems and sweet-smelling night flowers.