Australian Cheesewood

Pittosporum undulatum

"Pittosporum undulatum" is a fast-growing tree in the family Pittosporaceae. It is sometimes also known as sweet pittosporum, native daphne, Australian cheesewood, Victorian box or mock orange. "P. undulatum" has become invasive in parts of Australia where it is not indigenous. It is also highly invasive in South Africa, the Caribbean, Hawaii, the Azores and southern Brazil.
Pittosporum undulatum fruit dehiscence An evergreen native tree originally from the South Australia region - Pittosporum undulatum grows to 15 metres. It bears this bright and distinctive hard orange fruit (each capsule 1cm across) which appear after flowering in the autumn months. The capsules dehisce and split open to expose 20-30 sticky seeds which are then eaten by frugivorous bird species. The seeds are also dispersed by sticking to birds, other animals and human clothing. Apiales,Australian Mock Orange,Flora,Macro,Native Daphne,Orange Pittosporum,Pittosporum undulatum,Snowdrop Tree,Tree,botany,dehiscence,pittosporum undulatum,seeds

Appearance

"Pittosporum undulatum" grows as a shrub or small tree to 15 m tall. Its evergreen leaves are lance-shaped, with wavy margins. It carries conspicuous orange woody fruits about 1 cm in diameter for several months after flowering in spring or early summer.
Pittosporum undulatum seed pod with ripe seed and fruit pulp Australia,Geotagged,Pittosporum undulatum,Sweet pittosporum,Winter

Naming

The earliest known record is from Port Jackson, Sydney, in 1803. However, "P. undulatums status around the Sydney area is contentious. Even though it is native to the region, "P. undulatum" has spread to soils and bushland where it wasn't found before European settlement, often out-competing other plants.

"Pittosporum undulatum" is the most invasive tree species in the Azores, and has spread through most of the mid to low altitude forests, outshading and replacing native trees like "Morella faya" and "Laurus azorica".

Pittosporum has done especially well in areas where the environment has been altered by humans – for example by habitat fragmentation weakening other natives, by fertilizer runoff from homes increasing soil nutrients and by the suppression of bushfires near suburbs. Unlike most natives, "P. undulatum" takes advantage of high nutrient levels and its seeds can germinate without needing fire. This has led to the species sometimes receiving the "invasive" label although some think that it is merely returning to areas where it grew before people arrived in Australia and began burning the environment far beyond that which previously occurred.

Recommended control measures have included the identification and selective removal of female trees to prevent spread, as well as careful burning, where possible, together with follow-up weeding.
Sweet Pittospurum Australia,Fall,Geotagged,Pittosporum undulatum

Distribution

Originally "Pittosporum undulatum" grew in moist areas on the Australian east coast, where its natural range was from south-east Queensland to eastern Victoria, but has increased its range since European settlement.
Pittosporum Undulatum Auranticarpa rhombifolia,Australia,Australian Laurel,Fall,Geotagged,Pittosporum angustifolium,Pittosporum tobira,Pittosporum undulatum,Sweet pittosporum,Weeping Pittosporum

Habitat

Originally "Pittosporum undulatum" grew in moist areas on the Australian east coast, where its natural range was from south-east Queensland to eastern Victoria, but has increased its range since European settlement.Likely pollinators of its flowers are moths and butterflies, as the flower produces a fragrant perfume at night. The fruit are eaten by currawongs, red-whiskered bulbuls, Indian mynahs and grey-headed flying fox. Seed is dispersed in bird faeces.

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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassEudicots
OrderApiales
FamilyPittosporaceae
GenusPittosporum
SpeciesP. undulatum
Photographed in
Australia