also: とべら
noun
Japanese cheesewood; Pittosporum tobira
A flowering evergreen shrub native to coastal areas of Japan and East Asia, often used in hedges and coastal plantings.
海岸沿いにトベラの生け垣が続いている。
A hedge of Japanese cheesewood runs along the coast.
トベラは潮風に強い植物です。
Japanese cheesewood is a plant resistant to sea breezes.
Rarely used kanji form.
The Japanese name トベラ is said to derive from the use of its branches to drive away evil spirits (tobera, from 扉, 'door'), as they were hung on doors during the Setsubun festival. The exact origin is uncertain.