A little plant that had its beginnings in a Carterton nursery looks set to have a big future as garden specialists worldwide sit up and take notice. Pittosporum Elfin a dwarf Pittosporum tenuifolium was raised from seed by Alan Portman, who owns Clareville Nursery with his wifeFaye, but which will pass to their son Steven at the end of March when the couple go into "semi-retirement". Steven said yesterday the plant for which the nursery has patent rights was making its presence felt in various European countries including Italy, Spain and Britain the United States, Canada and Japan. Australia is also a big potential market. The Portmans have entered a partnership with a New Zealand agency that has a network of agents worldwide, for sharing the plant material. Patent rights will be taken out in each individual country and royalties paid to the nursery owners. Elfin has been described as a very attractive little plant that has tiny leaves of a grey-green hue. According to gardening guru Gareth Winter, it would be particularly suited as an untrimmed specimen in a carefree garden, as it has such an attractive shape and colouring. Mr Winter said it would make a splendid patio container plant and many gardeners would be interested in using it for hedging. Steven said strict legal guidelines are in place in each of the countries trialing or marketing the plant to control where it goes and what is done with it. He said illegal propagation would be difficult anyway as people would have to have fairly specialist knowledge in order to succeed. Robinsons Nursery in Masterton, that has a wholesale nursery business, has taken an interest in Pittosporum Elfin and is "running with it in reasonably significant numbers", Mr Portman said.
