Pittosporum eugenioides (Introduced- USA)

Pittosporum eugenioides, common names lemonwood or tarata, is a species of New Zealand native tree.
Growing to 12 m (39 ft) tall by 5 m (16 ft) broad, it is conical when young but more rounded in shape when mature.^[1] Its leaves are mottled yellow-green with curly edges and a salient bright midrib, and have a strong lemony smell when crushed.^[2] It has highly fragrant clusters of attractive yellow-cream flowers in spring, followed by distinctive black seed capsules.^[3]
It is found throughout New Zealand’s North and South Islands along forest margins and stream banks from sea level to 600 m (1,969 ft).^[4] It is New Zealand’s largest pittosporum.^[5]
The binomial qualifier eugenioides means “resembling Eugenia“, a different genus of plants.^[6]
The variegated cultivar ‘Variegatum’ has gained the Royal Horticultural Society‘s Award of Garden Merit.^[7]
(From Wikipedia on 26.12.14)
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Pittosporum eugenioides from California-GS25022021-6
2 images.

Pittosporum eugenioides Tenn.

A small tree with leaves similar in appearance to P. undulatum and P. tenuifolium but with greenish yellow flowers, numerous in a compound umbel and smaller pointed fruits.

Photographed from Sunnyvale, California, 14-12-2012.