Pittosporum tobira 'Tall n Tough', Japanese Mock Orange

'Tall n Tough' has weathered temperatures down to 0º F without so much as cringing. It is a dense shrub that has deep green, lustrous, oval, evergreen leaves in geometric whorls, and in spring, large clusters of creamy white flowers with a heady orange-blossom fragrance. This plant will work in a looser landscape of other "geometric" plants, or equally well in a formal landscape — a boundary crosser. Don't let the common name fool you; it is nothing like the Mock Oranges with which you may be familiar. Loved by bees, butterflies, and hummers.

Blooms earlier and longer than the Philadelphus mock oranges in our gardens and is a good substitute for those who desire the early summer fragrance without the maintenance required of many deciduous shrubs. Our specimen is in full sun on the SW corner of one of our buildings, next to a large gravel walkway, with minimal supplemental summer water. The shrub will also excel with regular water and part-sun as long as the soil drains well. 

Evergreen shrub: mature size: 8 ft tall x 6 ft wide.

Minimum temperature: 0° F