Foliage Similar to Variegated Pittosporum

Both variegated and non-variegated forms of pittosporum feature rounded, glossy leaves.


Variegated pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira varieties), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 or 9 through 10, depending on the specific variety, is an evergreen shrub known for its alternate, oval-shaped foliage, which remains a lustrous green throughout the year. The numerous variegated varieties include "Variegatum" (Pittosporum tobira "Variegatum"), which has white leaf edges and is hardy in USDA zones 9 through 10. Because Pittosporum is a large genus, plants that look like one variegated pittosporum species or variety may well be another type of pittosporum. Similar plants also are in other genera.

False Holly

Some variegated forms of tea olive (Osmanthus spp.) feature glossy, white-edged, rounded leaves. Among them are the "Variegatus" variety of holly tea olive (Osmanthus heterophyllus "Variegatus"), hardy in USDA zones 7 through 9. Its juvenile leaves may be spiny, but the adult leaves assume a pittosporumlike oval shape. Another false holly with variegated leaves is the "Variegatus" variety of fortune's osmanthus (Osmanthus x fortunei "Variegatus"), hardy in USDA zones 7 through 9. It also features adult leaves that are glossy, green, white and oval-shaped.

Variegated Euonymus

Some forms of evergreen euonymus (Euonymus spp.) also resemble variegated pittosporum. Probably the most notable is Japanese euonymus (Euonymus japonicus), hardy in USDA zones 6 or 7 through 9, depending on the variety. The "Albomarginatus" cultivar (Euonymus japonica "Albomarginatus"), hardy in USDA zones 7 through 9, features rounded, glossy, green leaves edged in white. Though usually grown as a ground cover, erect or semi-erect forms of wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei), hardy in USDA zones 4 or 5 through 8 or 9, depending on the variety, also resemble variegated pittosporum. The cultivar "Ivory Jade" (Euonymus fortunei "Ivory Jade"), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, is one example.

Variegated Gardenia

Another evergreen with variegated leaves similar to those of variegated pittosporum is a white-edged variety of gardenia called "Variegata" (Gardenia jasminoides "Variegata"), hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11. Many gardenias feature lustrous, green leaves, but "Variegata" leaves have cream-colored edges. Its leaves are opposite rather than alternate on the stems and may be a bit more elongated than those of pittosporum, but they still bear a definite resemblance. Like variegated pittosporum, the "Variegata" gardenia features scented flowers and develops into a rounded shrub.

Pittosporum Considerations

The "Garnettii" pittosporum hybrid (Pittosporum "Garnettii"), hardy in USDA zones 9 through 10, is a variegated variety that bears some resemblance to variegated varieties of Japanese pittosporum, such as "Variegatum." The leaves are alternate, as are those of "Variegatum," though a bit less rounded. Both feature white or cream leaf variegation. Numerous variegated cultivars have been created from the 200 Pittosporum species. Finding close matches among variegated pittosporum varieties, or between a variegated pittosporum and another variegated evergreen, would require identifying the specific variety to be matched.

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