By Sheilabub
Hertfordshire,
United Kingdom 
My Pittosporum (ordinary, variegated) looks only half alive - half the leaves look brown and dry (from frost?). It is 4 - 5 ft tall and about 12 years old. If I cut it right back, is it likely to live? Thanks.
3 Apr, 2011
Answers
I have hedges and individuals of Pittosporum here and some of mine look like that.
The ones that do are the ones i pruned late in the year last autumn, the ones i didn't touch aren't frazzled at all.
I've cut out small areas of the damaged ones and there's no sign of new growth yet but i'm hopeful that they will sprout, i've also fed them.
I'll just have to wait and see now.
3 Apr, 2011
Thanks Izzy and Louise . . . frazzled is a good word! I don't usually prune mine, but maybe I did give it a "haircut" in the autumn and have forgotten. Feeding is a good idea (I forget that mostly too); so I'll wait a little longer.
3 Apr, 2011
Yes, a good feed and make sure it doesn't go short of water if we have a dry spell. Give it lots of TLC this year to help it recover
3 Apr, 2011
Thank you, Andrew.
4 Apr, 2011
Mine is much worse looking than yours, Sheila, but I'm leaving it to see if it recovers. I reckon I have approx 1/3 of it still in leaf! I have lost two others though...completely dead. :-((
3 Apr, 2011