Re: Pittosporum question

[Guest guest]

On Sep 29, 2006, at 9:47 PM, Darlene wrote:

> I was wondering if any one had information on Pittosporum? I think it

> has white flowers what I'd like to know mainly is , is there a type

> that is used in perfumery and if so ,what is the scent? thanks in

> advance.

>

> Darlene

Hi Darlene,

There was a thread a while back on Pittosporum - have a look at the

archives messages to dig it up for more detail, but there is a huge

Pittosporum undulatum tree on the street just outside my front window

(all my neighbors refer to this tree as " " ) here in San

Francisco. will bloom in February, and I am going to try my

hand at enfleurage to extract the astounding, haunting fragrance.

Roughly speaking I would say that the scent is a combination of

carnation, orange flower, and jasmine sambac, in that order.

I'm not sure about any of the other Pittosporum varieties, though.

Alfred

in San Francisco

[Guest guest]

>

> there is a huge

> Pittosporum undulatum tree on the street just outside my front

window

> (all my neighbors refer to this tree as " " ) here in San

> Francisco. will bloom in February, and I am going to try

my

> hand at enfleurage to extract the astounding, haunting fragrance.

> Roughly speaking I would say that the scent is a combination of

> carnation, orange flower, and jasmine sambac, in that order.

Alfred

in San Francisco

>

Hi Alfred, Thanks for the reminder,I will check the archives but the

scent you discribed sounds heavenly and given that my father(whom is

no longer with us)was named ... This is a sweet thought for me.

I think I would like to research this type and If you wouldn't

mind ,I would love to know how your extraction turns out.

thanks again.

Darlene

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I was wondering if any one had information on Pittosporum?

Hi Darlene,

From Roy Genders' book, Scented Flora of the World:

" Pittosporum (Pittosporaceae)

A genus of 12 or more species, native of Tasmania, New Zealand,

China and Japan, several of which may be grown in the milder parts

of the British Isles. They are evergreen shrubs of upright habit,

with smooth pale-green leaves which have attractively waved petals.

The elegant branches are much in demand by florists for 'mixing' and

large quantities are sent to wholesale markets each year from the

South-west (note: I'm not sure what " South-west " Roy means -- but

this book is UK-centric), where the plants are used as hedges. But

they should be grown close to the sea (Whoo-hoo for me -- I live

there!), where the salt-laden atmosphere will give protection from

frost. "

Pittosporum cornifolium (NZ) has late-March blooming flowers

that " are of darkest purple, scenting the air with their distinct

musk perfume. "

P. crassifolium (NZ) blooms only rarely, but " when it does, its

purple flowers have the sweet scent of daphne. "

P. dallii (NZ) has " large white flowers which are sweetly scented. "

P. heterophyllum (China) " in June bears tiny flowers of palest

yellow which have a delicious aromatic perfume. "

P. tenuifolium (syn. P. mayi)(NZ) had " deliciously scented dark

purple flowers... in May. "

P. tobira (syn. P. chinensis) (China and Japan) " ...in May and June

it bears clusters of dainty creamy white flowers... which scent the

air with their heavy orange-like fragrance to a considerable

distance. "

P. undulatum (eastern AU) Flowers are " white or purple " and

are " powerfully scented at night. " Also known as Australian Mock

Orange.

Sure wish I knew what " sweetly scented " smelled like!

Likewise, " deliciously scented " , " delicious aromatic perfume " ,

and " powerfully scented " . Too bad the author wasn't more

descriptive (And used commas -- okay, so my inner grammar Nazi is

showing). Or maybe I'm just not schooled enough in the language of

scent yet... <grin>

However, this book does go into the planting techniques and growth

habits of the various species of scented plants around the world.

Great for those of us who wish to grow our own!

Pittosporum-ly,

Andrine

[Guest guest]

> > Roughly speaking I would say that the scent is a combination of

> > carnation, orange flower, and jasmine sambac, in that order.

>

I've been reading with delight all of the posts on Pittosporum

species.

Here in South Carolina, USA, I'm in the 'toes' of the foohillls with

sufficient altitude to get a hard freeze most winters. I was lucky

enough to buy a 100+ yo house with a huge pittosporum in the yard -

I think it's P. tobira (Japanese mock orange). They are reputedly

very difficult to get established under my conditions.

It blooms just after 'the dead of winter' - February for me - in

bloom before the crocus & jonquils open. Being at the far end of

the plant's tolerance, it does not 'bloom well' but the plants size

makes up for it in volume.

The scent is as described - a rich, sweet (but not sticky) orange,

jasmine & pepper combination that wakes the bees from hybernation.

The common name - mock orange - does not do it justice.

[Guest guest]

of

I think it's P. tobira (Japanese mock orange).

The scent is as described - a rich, sweet (but not sticky) orange,

jasmine & pepper combination that wakes the bees from hybernation.

The common name - mock orange - does not do it justice.

Hi ,

This is helpful because I would of thought that mock orange would of

smelt- like orange! but the P. tobira is also like what Alfred

described too.

This sounds like an intoxicatingly sweet,spicy,citrus. Yummy!

Darlene

[Guest guest]

I think it's P. tobira (Japanese mock orange).

Wow -- that got me to thinking about the shrub that I grew up with

here in the Seattle area that is referred to as Mock Orange. I wonder

if it's the same thing. I'll have to look into that.

I discovered it when I was in high school. I was walking along on a

particularly fragrant spring day (I always knew where the best scents

were blooming and at what time of the year to seek them out) and this

scent blind-sided me -- it grabbed me by the ankles, turned me upside

down and shook me. Okay -- not really, but it sort of felt that way.

I looked and sniffed around and discovered the scent coming from this

shrub with double white flowers about 1.5 " across with yellow centers,

which I was later told was Mock Orange.

I was so taken with it that I stood there and smelled it and smelled

it and smelled it -- ad nauseam. Literally. I made myself sick. I

got nauseated and had a huge headache. Which of course, left me upset

with myself for OD-ing on the scent because it had been such a lovely

discovery. I couldn't stand it for a few years afterward -- so

unfortunate. I would see one of the shrubs and avoid it so as not to

sicken myself.

Recently, though, I've been reunited with it and am able to enjoy it

again. And I am now very careful not to go at it like a pig in warm

sorghum. (Jeez -- am I starting to sound like Butch?) <BIG grin>

Everything in moderation, right?

Oh, and Darlene -- I really do try to keep my inner grammar nazi to

myself, so no worries. I only let it loose on published works. Just

seems like editors are never off duty, even while sleeping! <grin>

Cheers!

Andrine