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Original poster

Anyone else with Pittosporum dropping leaves?

27 replies

Whitney168 · 20/01/2023 10:18

This seems to be a thing this year, presumably from odd weather we've had. Of my three Pittosporum, one is looking fine, one is looking OK-ish and one (the biggest, sigh) has dropped every single leaf.

Various friends are reporting the same, and a friend went to Wisley this week and they seem to have the same issue.

Does this mean the bald one is a goner, or does anyone have any heartening stories of them coming back? I wonder if I should chop it back in the Spring to give it the best chance?

OP posts:
SBHon · 20/01/2023 10:35

Yes! Looking very sad and bedraggled. Browning leaves and lots of bare twiggy branches.

I was wondering the same about chopping it back in Spring.

Original poster
Whitney168 · 20/01/2023 10:54

From reading up, I have a horrible feeling it will be for the compost heap. 😖

OP posts:
IcakethereforeIam · 20/01/2023 10:55

It might just be the leaves, scratch off some of the bark to see if the twig is dead or if it's still green and sappy. If it is, it might still come back.

SBHon · 20/01/2023 11:00

I’ll check the bark. Any idea why it’s happened? Two of mine are new so if there’s anything I could do to stop it I’d like to.

IcakethereforeIam · 20/01/2023 11:12

From the RHS website it seems some species aren't completely hardy and they all might be vulnerable to waterlogging. I hope they're just damaged, not dead. My neighbour's fuchsia was decimated a few years ago by a long cold, snowy spell but it did come back.

SBHon · 20/01/2023 11:12

@Whitney168 are yours dropping leaves from the top or the bottom? All the information I can find talks about dropping from the top, but mine are fine at the top and bare at the bottom as if they haven’t had enough light.

snowsilver · 20/01/2023 11:18

Mine in the ground have a few brown leaves but no worse than normal for a cold snap. One in a container which is next to a wall is fine. I've had these about 20 years but have lost one or two in the past as they aren't hardy at very cold temps. North East, south facing sheltered spot.

Original poster
Whitney168 · 20/01/2023 11:33

SBHon · 20/01/2023 11:12

@Whitney168 are yours dropping leaves from the top or the bottom? All the information I can find talks about dropping from the top, but mine are fine at the top and bare at the bottom as if they haven’t had enough light.

The one that's bald doesn't have a leaf left on it, so can't say whether it started at the bottom or the top. 😆

The 'OK-ish' one doesn't seem to have started anywhere particular, has just lost some over all.

OP posts:
Original poster
Whitney168 · 20/01/2023 11:34

Can't say I've been out in the garden much, but I do think we're going to have lost quite a few plants this year - stress from heatwave in summer, followed by a winter of waterlogged/frozen/waterlogged/frozen.

As long as it doesn't kill any of my many acers ... !

OP posts:
VenusClapTrap · 23/01/2023 10:32

They’re only semi evergreen. When the weather is unusually cold they will drop leaves. They should come back in the spring, unless it’s been too much for them.

emma1882 · 07/04/2023 07:00

Just wondering if anyone is seeing leaves return now we’re (allegedly) in Spring? My theee pittosporum nanums are still looking completely bare.

LMBoston · 07/04/2023 07:27

Mine is still looking very sad — all leaves crispy and brown (started at the bottom and worked its way up!). It’s very young, in a pot and was in a quite windy and exposed position… I’ve moved it but fear it may be too late! There was an interesting discussion about this on Gardener’s QT a few weeks ago — the panel all said theirs have gone the same way. Drought followed by frosts seem to be the culprits! They suggested taking off the dead stuff, feeding and mulching then see what happens.

TheDogsMother · 07/04/2023 07:54

I spoke to a professional gardener about this just a couple of days ago. Ours started to go brown after the heavy frost and is looking v bald in parts now. He explained that the plant originated in New Zealand so is not hardy enough for our occasional heavy frosts. He has seen many in this state this year. His advice was to leave it until we could see new leaf re growth then trim out the bald branches. I have another in a more sheltered spot and that one is completely unaffected.

WashAsDelicates · 07/04/2023 08:12

I planted two pittosporums side-by-side in a sheltered spot last spring. Both struggled with the cold snaps and lost all their leaves. One is showing signs of recovery, with some new leaves in the last week. The other has no sign of growth. I've fed and watered both.

It's frustrating, because from my research I understood them to be hardy enough for SE UK. And there are several beautiful, mature pittosporums in my locality (albeit different cultivars), so I thought they would be OK.

Chasingsquirrels · 07/04/2023 08:19

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Chasingsquirrels · 07/04/2023 08:24

I've no idea what happened there, I've asked for it to be deleted!

I've got two.

A Tom thumb I've had for several years but which I relocated last year and was struggling after that and was dropping leaves but did have some new growth. It now appears completely dead.

Another, variegated with pink edges - can't recall the name - I got about a year ago. I noticed new growth on it yesterday.

gleegeek · 15/04/2023 17:51

Any life yet? Mine is still just a twig😥I've wanted one for so long...

emma1882 · 16/04/2023 07:07

Mine are all twigs still too :(

hoppalong · 16/04/2023 08:42

Hi, we planted a brand new row of pittosporum to make a hedge last year, and now all we have are brown twigs 😢. Bad timing with the weather.

I guess that's it - they're officially dead if there's no growth at alI? I want to optimistically keep hold of them for a bit longer but also aware that now is a good season to establish a new hedge - definitely something more hardy this time though!

tootiredtobother · 16/04/2023 08:47

My Tom Thumb one is doing fine, no leaf drop at all, north facing front garden about 5 years old
midlands location

orangina01 · 17/04/2023 13:22

Lost three smallish Pittosporum too! I also lost 7 hebes. Am feeling so sad!

Obzender · 29/05/2023 22:16

My pittosporum were ok till now. I just noticed one has turned brown; it’s definitely not waterlogged. It’s more than 10 years old, quite tall.

HeidiUpTheMountain · 29/05/2023 22:19

Mine is about 8 years old, about 7ft high and has suddenly developed a shrivelled brown top of its head. I was cutting back some of the lower parts today and noticed a lot of yellowing leaves and bald patches. It’s survived three previous very cold spells, so I wonder if, like for my poor late hebes, it’s a combination of the hot, dry summer followed by that very cold week or so in December which has done for it.

SBHon · 30/05/2023 10:24

I’ve found new leaf growth, I think it might be coming back.

orangina01 · 30/05/2023 14:56

We managed to save one of our three in the end but did have to hack it back quite a bit.

The hebes were a write off 😭.