The Mojo Pittosporum, scientifically known as Pittosporum tobira ‘Mojo’, is a compact evergreen shrub cherished for its striking variegated foliage. Its dense, rounded form provides structure year-round, featuring glossy, medium-green leaves edged vividly in creamy white or light yellow. This cultivar is a popular choice for gardeners seeking a low-maintenance plant that offers continuous visual interest in foundation plantings and mixed borders. Selecting the right companion plants involves matching specific growing conditions to ensure a healthy, cohesive landscape design.
Essential Shared Growing Conditions
Companion planting requires establishing shared growing conditions so all selected plants thrive alongside ‘Mojo’ Pittosporum. This cultivar is adaptable but requires well-drained soil; wet conditions quickly lead to root rot.
The Mojo Pittosporum tolerates full sun to partial shade, though afternoon shade in hot climates helps the variegated foliage maintain color and prevents scorching. Companion plants must similarly adapt to these light conditions, especially those handling filtered light near shrub groupings. The ideal soil pH for Pittosporum tobira is slightly acidic to neutral (6.0 to 7.3).
Once established, ‘Mojo’ is drought tolerant, so companion plants should also be moderate water users. Planting partners should be hardy within USDA Zones 7 through 10, aligning with the shrub’s cold tolerance. Matching these environmental preferences ensures the entire planting scheme remains healthy.
Companions for Contrasting Texture and Structure
The dense, mounding habit and leathery leaves of the Mojo Pittosporum create a solid anchor in the landscape, making textural contrast essential. Introducing plants with a dramatically different leaf size or growth habit helps to break up the visual mass of the shrub.
To achieve a fine texture, use ornamental grasses or sedges, which introduce movement and airiness that the evergreen pittosporum lacks. Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ offers fine, arching foliage that provides a delicate foil to the Mojo’s stiffness. Similarly, Liriope muscari (monkey grass) forms dense clumps of thin, linear leaves that contrast sharply with the pittosporum’s broader leaves.
For a bold, coarse contrast, architectural plants with spiky foliage create a strong visual dialogue. Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’ provides stiff, sword-shaped leaves and a vertical element that pierces the rounded canopy. Another structural option is the columnar Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’ (Japanese Holly), whose upright growth habit offers a vertical break from the horizontal spread of the pittosporum.
Companions for Strategic Color Pairing
Strategic color pairing makes the creamy variegation of the Mojo Pittosporum stand out. The foliage’s medium green and light cream-yellow colors can be intensified by surrounding them with specific hues.
One effective technique is planting companions with dark purple or near-black foliage to create a dramatic contrast that brightens the Mojo’s creamy edges. Loropetalum chinense varieties, such as ‘Purple Pixie’ or ‘Ever Red’, provide deep, burgundy-purple leaves. This intense counterpoint causes the light-reflecting cream margins of the pittosporum to appear more luminous.
Incorporating cool-toned, silvery-blue foliage serves as a complementary contrast to the creamy-white leaf edges. The fine, steel-blue blades of Helictotrichon sempervirens (Blue Oat Grass) or the soft, silver-gray leaves of Santolina chamaecyparissus (Lavender Cotton) echo the lighter tones. This pairing creates a sophisticated, cool-toned palette.
When selecting flowering plants, choose colors that harmonize with the green and yellow tones, such as soft blues, corals, or rich burgundies. The lavender-blue spikes of Nepeta racemosa (Catmint) or the deep magenta flowers of Penstemon ‘Rich Ruby’ provide a burst of color. These colors draw the eye without competing with the Mojo’s year-round leaf display, maintaining the shrub as the primary focal point.