Pittosporum viridiflorum is desribed by Wagner et al (1999; as seen in PIER, 2006) as a small tree 3-6 m tall with its young parts and inflorescences sparsely puberulent; branches glabrous. It has leathery leaves, 6-15 cm long, 2.2-4 cm wide, glabrous, with margins minutely revolute; the apex bluntly acuminate to rounded; the base attenuate and the petioles 0.6-1.5 cm long. P. viridiflorum's flowers are perfect, numerous in terminal, branched, have corymbose inflorescences with peduncles 0-8 mm long, its pedicels slender and 5-7 mm long. The sepals are elliptic and around 1.5 mm long, margins scarious. The petals are yellowish green, 5-6 mm long, with margins slightly revolute and erose. Its capsules are depressed-subglobose, slightly compressed and 4-5 mm long, with the valves having thin exocarp and the surface minutely rugulose. The seeds occur in 4-6, are reddish black, subreniform, are somewhat compressed, and are around 3.5-4 mm long.

Used as an ornamental in Hawaii (Starr et al, 2003). Its stem and bark have also been used medicinally (Matshinyalo & Reynolds, 2002, as seen in Starr et al, 2003).

In Hawaii, Pittosporum viridiflorum is cultivated, but has also naturalised sparingly at around 1000m altitude (PIER, 2006). In its native range, P. viridiflorum tolerates a wide range of elevations and grows in tall forests, in shrub of forest margins and on stream banks (Matshinyalo & Reynolds, 2002; as seen in Starr et al, 2003).

Pittosporum viridiflorum is spread long distances by humans who use the species in landscaping (Starr et al, 2003)

Preventative measures: A Risk Assessment of Pittosporum viridiflorum for Hawai‘i and other Pacific islands was prepared by Dr. Curtis Daehler (UH Botany) with funding from the Kaulunani Urban Forestry Program and US Forest Service. The alien plant screening system is derived from Pheloung et al. (1999) with minor modifications for use in Pacific islands (Daehler et al. 2004). The result is a score of 3 and a recommendation of: \"the plant requires further evaluation.\" \n

Physical: Seedlings of P. viridiflorum could be pulled by hand. Small trees could also be dug out. Cutting without herbicide treatment may result in re-growth (Starr et al, 2003)

Chemical: Cut stump, and basal bark methods employing herbicides are likely effective means of control for P. viridiflorum (Starr et al, 2003).