Why Is My Pittosporum Losing Its Leaves?

Pittosporum are evergreen plants, so they should hold foliage year-round. If your hedge is losing or dropping leaves, it’s usually caused by stress factors like water imbalance, nutrient deficiency, pests, or transplant shock. The fastest way to stabilise growth is to correct watering and feed with CompleteGrow’s All Purpose Liquid NPK 20-20-20 to promote fresh new leaves.

At a Glance: Pittosporum Leaf Drop

Overwatering: Roots suffocate, leaves yellow then fall
Drought stress: Extended dry periods trigger premature leaf drop
Transplant shock: Recently planted hedges may shed foliage to adjust
Nutrient deficiency: Lack of nitrogen or potassium weakens leaves
Pests: Psyllids, scale, and root mealybugs drain energy, causing leaf loss

Quick Fix: Check watering, prune lightly, and feed with CompleteGrow 20-20-20 to restore healthy, dense foliage.

Early Signs to Watch For

Before pittosporum start dropping leaves in large numbers, they show early warning signals:

Yellowing leaves at the base: Often linked to overwatering or poor drainage.
Leaves browning at the edges: Suggests drought stress or potassium deficiency.
Thin, sparse canopy: Hedge begins to look patchy before leaves fall.
Pale, weak foliage: Indicates nitrogen deficiency or exhaustion after frequent pruning.

By acting when these first signs appear, you can prevent heavy leaf loss and maintain a lush screen.

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Main Causes of Pittosporum Leaf Drop

Leaf drop in pittosporum isn’t natural for an evergreen plant, so it usually points to stress. The most common causes are:

Overwatering: Saturated soil suffocates roots, leading to yellowing and eventual leaf fall.
Drought stress: Extended dry spells trigger survival mode — older leaves are shed first.
Transplant shock: Newly planted or recently moved pittosporum often drop leaves until roots re-establish.
Nutrient deficiencies: Lack of nitrogen causes general yellowing and leaf drop; potassium shortage weakens foliage at the tips and edges.
Pest activity: Sap-sucking insects such as psyllids and scale drain vigour, while root mealybugs interfere with nutrient uptake.
Pruning stress: Over-pruning or cutting too hard without aftercare can cause temporary leaf loss.

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How to Stop Pittosporum Losing Leaves

Most pittosporum bounce back if the cause of leaf drop is identified and corrected. Here’s the recovery process:

Check water balance: Dig into the soil. If soggy, reduce watering; if dry, deep soak once or twice a week.
Prune lightly: Remove dead or weak growth to stimulate fresh shoots.
Treat pests: Inspect for psyllids, scale, or root pests. Prune infested areas and apply horticultural oil if necessary.
Stabilise new plantings: Newly transplanted hedges need steady watering and mulch to reduce stress.
Feed correctly: Fertiliser is the fastest way to promote regrowth and restore dense foliage.

The best fertiliser to stop leaf loss is CompleteGrow’s All Purpose Plant Liquid Fertiliser NPK 20-20-20. Apply at 4 ml per litre of water to deliver:

Nitrogen: Powers healthy, dense leaf growth
Phosphorus: Strengthens roots and improves stress recovery
Potassium: Prevents edge browning and leaf drop under heat stress

Apply every 6–8 weeks until the hedge thickens again. Once stable, maintain with seasonal feeding in spring and summer. Gardeners consistently report that CompleteGrow 20-20-20 delivers faster and more reliable recovery than generic products.

Quick FAQs

Do pittosporum naturally lose leaves? No, they are evergreen, but older leaves may shed occasionally as new growth appears.
Why is my pittosporum dropping lots of leaves? Usually stress from watering issues, transplant shock, or nutrient deficiency.
What is the best fertiliser to fix leaf drop? CompleteGrow NPK 20-20-20 Liquid, applied at 4 ml per litre.
Can a pittosporum recover from heavy leaf loss? Yes — with pruning, steady watering, and feeding, most recover within a season.