Landholder Resources

Sweet Pittosporum

Sweet Pittosporum (Pittosporum undulatum) is a small tree indigenous to eastern Victoria where it forms an important part of rainforest, lowland forests and woodlands. It has become a weed in other parts of southern Victoria where it competes with other plants and degrades habitat for wildlife. 

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This information is relevant to parts of southern Victoria where Sweet Pittosporum has become a weed, including around Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and the Surf Coast. In eastern Victoria, Sweet Pittosporum is an indigenous and important species. Check with your Trust for Nature manager if you are unsure if Sweet Pittosporum is indigenous to habitat on your land. 

  • Sweet Pittosporum grows up to 25 m, with glossy green leaves, white flowers, and orange fruits 
  • Pittosporum plants are either male or female, with different flowers. Female plants produce fruit 
  • It has become a weed after escaping from gardens 
  • It is spread by fruit-eating birds and mammals  
  • It can rapidly colonise open and disturbed areas to create dense thickets 
  • The dense shade it produces can shade out other plants and alter habitat 
  • Leaf litter produced by Sweet Pittosporum changes soil nutrients 
  • It is particularly invasive in habitat where fire patterns have changed 

Non-chemical 

  • Smaller plants can be hand-pulled 
  • Ensure all parts of the roots are removed to avoid resprouting 

Chemical 

  • Larger plants and established trees can be killed with herbicide 
  • For young trees less than 50mm diameter: cut plant off at ground level and immediately paint with undiluted glyphosate 
  • For trees greater than 50mm diameter: drill 5cm holes around base of trunk and fill immediately with undiluted glyphosate. Remove plant once dead 
  • Follow chemical use regulations 
  • Dispose of weeds carefully through landfill, composting or burning 
  • Monitor areas where Sweet Pittosporum has been removed for resprouting and new plants. Sweet Pittosporum can leave hundreds of seeds in the soil 
  • Coordinate weeding with other landholders to increase impact 

This information is relevant to parts of southern Victoria where Sweet Pittosporum has become a weed, including around Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and the Surf Coast. In eastern Victoria, Sweet Pittosporum is an indigenous and important species. Check with your Trust for Nature manager if you are unsure if Sweet Pittosporum is indigenous to habitat on your land. 

  • Sweet Pittosporum grows up to 25 m, with glossy green leaves, white flowers, and orange fruits 
  • Pittosporum plants are either male or female, with different flowers. Female plants produce fruit 
  • It has become a weed after escaping from gardens 
  • It is spread by fruit-eating birds and mammals  
  • It can rapidly colonise open and disturbed areas to create dense thickets 
  • The dense shade it produces can shade out other plants and alter habitat 
  • Leaf litter produced by Sweet Pittosporum changes soil nutrients 
  • It is particularly invasive in habitat where fire patterns have changed 

Non-chemical 

  • Smaller plants can be hand-pulled 
  • Ensure all parts of the roots are removed to avoid resprouting 

Chemical 

  • Larger plants and established trees can be killed with herbicide 
  • For young trees less than 50mm diameter: cut plant off at ground level and immediately paint with undiluted glyphosate 
  • For trees greater than 50mm diameter: drill 5cm holes around base of trunk and fill immediately with undiluted glyphosate. Remove plant once dead 
  • Follow chemical use regulations 
  • Dispose of weeds carefully through landfill, composting or burning 
  • Monitor areas where Sweet Pittosporum has been removed for resprouting and new plants. Sweet Pittosporum can leave hundreds of seeds in the soil 
  • Coordinate weeding with other landholders to increase impact 
Safety
Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when undertaking land management. Follow all label instructions on equipment and local regulations. Be mindful of weather conditions. Do not conduct land management on days of extreme or catastrophic fire danger or total fire ban. 
Further information
If you have a conservation covenant, please consult with your Trust for Nature regional staff member to ensure land management activities are in line with your covenant deed.

For further advice and support, please contact Trust for Nature

Phone:(03) 8361 5800
Email:  trustfornature@tfn.org.au
Disclaimer
Trust for Nature and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication