Pittosporum silver sheen is an evergreen, New Zealand shrub with small, silvery-green leaves and dark, almost black stems. It suits Sydney gardeners who want a fine-textured hedge or screen in sun or part shade, and it clips well into a formal line.
This guide covers size, spacing, planting, pruning and common problems. It also compares the plant with other popular hedges, starting with our main guide to hedges.
Key points
- Mature size varies with the nursery stock and pruning, so check the plant label for height and width (indicative — check the plant label).
- It prefers a sunny to part-shaded spot with well-drained soil, and it dislikes wet feet in heavy clay.
- Maintenance is moderate: trim a hedge once or twice a year and water new plants regularly while they settle in.
- Watch for sooty mould and sap-sucking insects in humid summers; for pests, book a licensed pest controller.
Pittosporum silver sheen at a glance
This table sums up the plant before you buy, and every size is a guide only.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Silver Sheen’ |
| Type | Evergreen shrub or small tree, used as a hedge or screen |
| Mature height and width | Varies with pruning (indicative — check the plant label) |
| Sun | Full sun to part shade |
| Soil | Well-drained, enriched with compost in sandy or clay beds |
| Water | Regular while establishing, then moderate |
| Frost tolerance | Generally good, but check the label for young plants in cold western suburbs and the Blue Mountains |
| Flowering | Small, dark, honey-scented flowers in spring (indicative — check the nursery label) |
| Native? | Native to New Zealand, so it is exotic in Australia |
Pittosporum trees and related varieties
Pittosporum trees cover a big group, and nurseries sell several close relatives, so check the tag before you plant.
| Variety | Size | Best use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittosporum silver sheen | Medium to tall (indicative — check the label) | Hedge, screen, feature plant | Silvery leaves and dark stems, clips well |
| Other silver-leaved pittosporums | Medium to tall (indicative — check the label) | Screen, feature plant | Foliage colour and habit vary, so check the tag |
| Dwarf forms | Small (indicative — check the label) | Low hedge, pots | Suits tight spaces and courtyards |
| Native pittosporum | Varies by species | Informal screen, habitat garden | Check the species if you want a plant native to Australia |
| Potostrums (a common misspelling) | Not applicable | Not applicable | Search for pittosporum instead to find the right nursery stock |
Pittosporum silver sheen hedge for Sydney gardens
As a hedge pittosporum, this plant gives a fine, dense wall that looks formal without the bulk of a lilly pilly.
- Choose it for a front boundary hedge where you want a clipped, silvery line that stays tidy for most of the year.
- Use it as a screen along a side fence, in sun or part shade, and keep it away from drains and pipes.
- Compare it with a lilly pilly hedge if you want glossier, larger foliage.
- Compare it with a murraya hedge if you want scented flowers and a warmer-climate look.
- Weigh it against the lilly pilly resilience options if psyllid has hit hedges in your street.
- Look at lilly pilly straight and narrow when you need a very slim hedge in a tight space.
Pittosporum silver sheen spacing and where to plant
Spacing decides how fast the hedge closes up, and tight beds in the Inner West leave little room for error.
- Space plants closely for a quick hedge and wider for a screen (indicative — check the plant label for the spacing the grower recommends).
- Pick a sunny to part-shaded spot, because deep shade makes the foliage thin and leggy.
- Improve heavy clay in western Sydney with compost and raised beds, so roots do not sit in water.
- In sandy coastal soil, add organic matter and mulch to hold moisture, or compare a compact alternative such as rhaphiolepis snow maiden.
- Keep plants clear of pipes, paths and footings, as roots and growth spread over time.
- Use a large pot with good drainage for courtyards, and expect to water more often than in the ground.
How to plant pittosporum silver sheen
- Water the plant in its pot, then mark the hedge line with a string so the row stays straight.
- Dig a hole about twice as wide as the pot and no deeper, so the root ball sits level with the soil.
- Loosen circling roots gently with your fingers before you set the plant in the hole.
- Backfill with the original soil, firm it lightly and leave a shallow basin around each stem.
- Mulch with a thin layer and keep mulch clear of the stem, then water slowly using a hand-held hose with a trigger nozzle.
- Water regularly through the first summer, within the Water Wise times of before 10 am and after 4 pm.
Caring for pittosporum silver sheen
| Task | When | How |
|---|---|---|
| Watering | All year, more often in summer | Water deeply before 10 am or after 4 pm, and never leave the hose running unattended |
| Feeding | Spring and early autumn | Use a registered fertiliser and follow the label for rate and protective gear |
| Mulching | Spring | Spread a thin layer and keep it off the stems |
| Pruning | After spring flowering and again in late summer | Clip lightly to shape and take out dead or crossing stems |
| Pest watch | Humid summers | Look for sticky sap and sooty mould, then book a licensed pest controller |
| Weeding | Spring and autumn | Pull weeds by hand around the base of the hedge |
Pruning and shaping a pittosporum silver sheen hedge
Regular light clipping keeps the hedge dense from the base to the top.
- Clip a little and often, and keep the top slightly narrower than the base so light reaches the lower leaves.
- Use sharp, clean hedge shears or a hedge trimmer, and stop work if you need a ladder on uneven ground.
- Wear eye and hearing protection and closed shoes, and disconnect the battery or spark plug before you clear blades.
- Keep powered trimming inside the legal hours, which are 7 am to 8 pm on most days and 8 am to 8 pm on Sundays and public holidays.
- Check your council’s tree rules before you remove or heavily cut a pittosporum grown as a large tree.
- Book a professional for tall hedges: a small hedge trim typically costs $69 to $205 per job, or about $52 to $115 per hour for a gardener (October 2026).
Common problems with pittosporum silver sheen
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow leaves | Waterlogged soil or low nutrients | Improve drainage and feed following the product label |
| Black sooty coating | Sap-sucking insects leaving honeydew | Book a licensed pest controller to identify and treat the insect |
| Thin, leggy growth | Too much shade or no pruning | Clip lightly and move future plantings to a brighter spot |
| Brown tips in summer | Heat stress or dry roots | Water deeply in the morning and mulch the bed |
| Leaf drop in winter | Frost or cold wind on young plants | Shelter young plants and check the plant label |
| Hedge dying in patches | Root rot in heavy clay | Lift and replant the section in raised, free-draining soil |
FAQ: pittosporum silver sheen questions
How far apart do you plant a pittosporum silver sheen hedge?
Plant closer together for a quick, dense hedge and further apart for a screen. Exact distances depend on the pot size and the grower, so check the plant label or ask the nursery. Prepare the soil well and water regularly while the hedge fills in.
Is pittosporum silver sheen a good hedge?
Yes, for formal or semi-formal borders. It clips well, keeps its silvery colour and suits sun or part shade. It is not a native plant, and it can struggle in wet clay, so improve drainage and prune lightly each year.
What are pittosporum trees?
Pittosporum is a group of evergreen shrubs and small trees from New Zealand, Australia and Asia. Many are used as hedges and screens. Some forms spread more than others, so check the species and the label before you plant near pipes and paths.
Are pittosporums toxic to pets?
Some pittosporum parts are commonly listed as mildly toxic, and owners report stomach upsets after chewing leaves or seed capsules. If your pet eats any plant, contact your vet or the Animal Poisons Helpline straight away.
Getting a pittosporum hedge trimmed in Sydney
If you would rather keep your weekends free, we clip, shape and tidy hedges across Sydney and take away the green waste. Book hedge trimming in Sydney and get an itemised quote. Return to our main guide on hedges for more options.
