Pittosporum tenuifolium kohuhu

Pittosporum tenuifolium hedge at the Hospital. Sairus Patel, 28 Apr 2024

Pittosporum tenuifolium fruit, leaf. From An Illustrated Manual of Pacific Coast Trees, Howard E. McMinn & Evelyn Maino

This small tree is most often clipped as a hedge, as along the perimeter in Branner Hall’s front entry, but a specimen in tree form is on the north side of Bechtel International Center. Perhaps the nicest planting is a lush tall hedge along the northwest edge of 300 Pasteur Drive (map pin).

The thin, glossy 1- to 2-inch leaves have wavy edges. New growth is borne on shiny dark twigs, and the spring flowers are unusual in being almost black.

Illustrations: fruit & leaves.

Name derivation: Pittosporum – Greek pitta (pitch) and spora (seed), referring to the sticky seed coating; tenuifolium – with thin leaves.