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Key characteristics

Family: Pittosporaceae
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Width: 2 to 4 feet
Flower color: Inconspicuous; dark purple
Foliage color: Bright green
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Low
Maintenance: Low; requires minimal pruning to maintain its rounded shape
Growing zone: USDA zones 8 to 10
Wildlife: Attracts bees and other pollinators with its flowers

Shrubs

Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’

Golf Ball Pittosporum

Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Golf Ball' is an evergreen shrub known for its naturally compact, rounded form and dense, finely textured foliage. The small, glossy leaves are a bright, fresh green, creating a tidy, uniform appearance that resembles a carefully clipped topiary. This variety requires little to no pruning to maintain its neat, spherical shape, making it an excellent low-maintenance option for formal gardens, borders, or container plantings.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Low

Bloom time

Late spring to early summer

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Formal Gardens
Containers
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Camas · Wire-netting bush · Goldenrod · Blue fescue · Dianthus · Mexican orange blossom

Design tip

Repeat ‘Golf Ball’s’ naturally spherical form to establish a strong visual rhythm and sense of order. Its bright green foliage keeps the repeated geometry from feeling overly rigid, while the compact evergreen structure gives the composition definition throughout the year.