Common Name:

General Information

Pittosporum brevicalyx is an evergreen shrub or a small tree that can grow around 10 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens, doing very well in California[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - southern China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, southeast Xizang, Yunnan)

Habitat

Forests, thickets, slopes, limestone areas, roadsides; at elevations from 600 - 3,500 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	8.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Pittosporum species generally grow best in a sunny position, but tolerate light shade. They succeed in most well-drained soils[, ]. Established plants are moderately drought tolerant[].
Although flowers usually appear to be hermaphrodite, many species of Pittosporum are functionally dioecious, with individual specimens bearing mainly or totally flowers of one sex only. Even so, occasional functionally hermaphrodite flowers will appear and, in at least some species, these flowers can be self-compatible and produce fertile seed even in the absence of any other plants of that species[].
The species in this genus are also very likely to hybridize with other members of the genus[]. When growing a species from seed it is important to ensure that the seed either comes from a known wild source, or from isolated specimens in cultivation.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The roots, bark, and seed capsules can be used in the treatment of chronic bronchitis and coughs[, ].

The plant is known to contain triterpenoid saponins and essential oils[].
The crude extract is reported to possess antituberculous activity in vitro and in vivo[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow when ripe in the autumn or in late winter in a warm greenhouse[, ]. The seed usually germinates freely. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, move the plants to a cold frame as soon as they are established and plant out late in the following spring[]. Consider giving them some protection from the cold during their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 7cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame[].
Basal ripewood cuttings late autumn in a cold frame[].