The Fast-Growing Shrub That Can Keep Your Unsightly AC Unit Out Of Sight

Air conditioning units are a necessary part of having cooler temperatures to escape to during the warmer months. They provide you with the satisfaction of comfort and convenience so you're not sweating, dehydrated, or beckoning a heat stroke. But the units themselves are unsightly, to say the least, and leave little to be desired in terms of landscaping aesthetics. To keep the AC unit out of sight, add kohuhu (Pittosporum tenuifolium), a fast-growing evergreen tree or shrub to hide the eye-sore in a pleasing manner.

Kohuhu has the capacity to grow up to 30 feet tall. It boasts a gray-black trunk and twigs with stunning pale green wavy leaves that shine ever so slightly. The flowers are delicate-looking dark red to black gems that pop against the green foliage, blooming around late spring. While shrubs with white or yellow flowers are very rare to find, they are not unheard of.

Something to consider when you're thinking up creative ways to conceal your air conditioning unit — provide ample clearance around it. In order for the interior components of your AC unit to work correctly, the outdoor structure must have unobstructed airflow. This also allows technicians to access the unit for maintenance and repairs. Because of the heat the unit puts off, you can also burn or overheat your kohuhu if it's too close, so give yourself at least 3 feet of space between planting and the unit.

Ensuring you have enough space between your shrubs and AC unit will also help you keep debris off the top of it. Just like every other plant, kohuhu sheds leaves and creates debris that can collect on and around the system, potentially overheating it and restricting airflow. So, in order to prolong the life of your AC unit while also creating a beautiful aesthetic, keep the area clear.

The best time to plant kohuhu is during mild weather, like spring or fall. Again, make sure you're at least 3 feet away from the AC unit before you start digging, and preferably in a sunny area since it likes full sun to part shade. You'll likely want to hide it from every angle so one plant on each side of the structure will do the trick as long as there is nothing else in the way, wired underground, or plumbing that can be damaged by roots. Kohuhu likes well-drained soil but is very adaptable, and can tolerate sandy, loamy, and clay soil.

Once it's planted, add mulch to retain moisture and water regularly the first year until it's established. After the first year, it's incredibly drought tolerant and can handle a little neglect. Kohuhu lives in zones 8 through 11, so if you're in colder climates, it may not survive. Since it can grow into tree-like proportions at 15 feet wide, pruning this majestic shrub the right way is necessary to keep it from overtaking your outside AC unit. Otherwise, it's a low-maintenance addition to your yard to make that unsightly AC unit a visual dreamscape.