S & J Nursery’s Guide to Growing
Pittosporum Wheeler’s Dwarf
/ Dwarf Wheelers Mock Orange
in the Northeast Florida Jacksonville | St. Augustine area Landscape
( Pittosporum Tobira ‘Wheeleri’ )
Pittosporum Wheeler’s Dwarf / Dwarf Mock Orange ( Pittosporum Tobira ‘wheeleri’ ) Origins:
– Dwarf Wheelers Pittosporum is selection of the more common Japanese Pittosporum Tobira that was selected and grown for its slow growth rate and low mature height.
– Its slow growth rate makes this a hard to find selection, but when looking for a low maintenance landscape that needs little pruning to keep it in shape it may be worth the effort and time it takes to locate them.
Pittosporum Wheeler’s Dwarf / Dwarf Mock Orange Preferred Exposure:
– Green Pittosporum plants will prefer full sun to partial shade locations in the North Florida | St. Augustine | Jacksonville area landscape.
Pittosporum Wheeler’s Dwarf / Dwarf Mock Orange Foliage:
– Deep green and glossy foliage of the Dwarf Wheelers Pittosporum has
a very compact appearance with smaller leaves than that of the traditional Pittosporum Tobira .
Wheeler’s Dwarf Pittosporum Soil Preference / Salt tolerance:
– Pittosporums are widely tolerant of many soil conditions but are said to prefer the slightly acid conditions common in the North Florida landscape. Provide well draining soils and don’t plant Pittosporum Tobira in wet soils, as root rot can become a problem.
– Pittosporum Tobira ‘Wheeleri’ has a moderate salt tolerance and can be
used in the more coastal regions of the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine Florida area landscapes.
Pittosporum Wheeler’s Dwarf / Dwarf Mock Orange Size Variance:
– This Dwarf selection of Green Pittosporum can reach sizes of 2-3+ feet High | 3-5+ feet Wide
Green Pittosporum Wheelers Dwarf / Mock Orange Growth Habit:
– Green Pittosporum has a compact rounded growth habit and needs no pruning to keep its naturally rounded shape.
Green Pittosporum Wheelers Dwarf / Mock Orange Growth Rate:
– Dwarf Wheelers Pitt will grow slowly in the North Florida landscape.
Green Pittosporum Bloom:
-This plant was often referred to as Mock Orange, the thick, waxy clusters of white blooms in spring are extremely fragrant and strongly resemble the fragrance of an orange blossom.
Green Pittosporum Wheeler’s Dwarf / Mock Orange Water Requirements:
– Wheelers dwarf Pitt will require moderate watering in the landscape/ not as drought tolerant as Pittosporum Tobira.
Butterfly or Bird Attracting:
– Green Pittosporum is not touted to be a wildlife attractor for the landscape.
Best Uses For Dwarf Green Pittosporum Wheeleri / Mock Orange :
– This compact little plant is perfect for a low maintenance landscape and can be used in masses as a groundcover or in island beds to accent palms or other landscape specimen plants, use them as the lower or bottom layers of foundation plantings around homes or commercial plantings that will
receive supplemental irrigation.
– Although not as tough of a plant as its parent plants Pittosporum Tobira,
these plants are still a low maintenance option for the North Florida landscape when planted in well draining soils and fertilized regularly.
Care of S & J Nursery’s North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine
Shrubs:
– Shrubs can be planted in the North Florida | Jacksonville | St.Augustine area at any time during the year. In normal and well draining soils dig the hole as deep as the root ball and two to three times as wide. Plant the top of the root ball level or slightly higher than the surrounding soils. When
planting in poorly drained soils make sure to plant your shrubs a minimum of 3 inches ABOVE the surrounding soil level.
– Water every day during the establishment period. For most 3 gallon size shrubs in the North Florida landscape in average soil, that is neither heavy clay that holds water or really sandy that will take 2-3 weeks of daily watering to ensure that your newly planted shrub will begin to put out new roots and grow into its new home happily. After the first few weeks begin tapering back your watering to every other day then every third day and so on until your newly planted items are flourishing without your assistance.
– If planting larger shrubs you may need to extend the initial care a bit longer to protect your investment and get your shrubs off to the best start possible.
– IMPORTANT: If planting shrubs in heavy clay soils that hold allot of water after a rain or irrigating, remember to check the soil for moisture by sticking your fingers into the soil near the root ball of the newly planted shrub down to 2-3 inches. If it remains wet from the previous watering wait for the top 2-3 inches to dry out before watering again.
– IMPORTANT: When planting shrubs into poor sandy soils be sure to amend the planting hole by mixing compost or cow manure etc. with the native soil that will go back in the hole around the new plants root ball when installing your shrub material, this will not only give your new shrubs good soil to grow its new roots into but help it hold water.
– When planting shrubs from containers be sure to loosen the roots as much as possible pulling loose roots away from the root ball before installing your new plants, if the roots are to tight to easily loosen with your hands use a knife to cut a few slits into the root ball being careful to go all the way from the top to the bottom and making the cut at least an inch deep. This will ensure that your plant will immediately begin to form new roots into its new surrounding soil.
– Mulch newly planted shrubs whenever possible.
– Fertilize each spring with a mixture of milorganite and a slow release poly coated plant food such as Osmocote or Stay Green general purpose plant food, sprinkling the fertilizer around the mulch circle underneath the foliage of the tree.
– Prune as needed to shape each spring and or summer.