Podocarpus gracilior Pilger                                                                                           Podocarpaceae                                                                                           Podacarpus Family                                                                                           Tropical Africa                                                                                            African Fern Pine

                             May Photo

Plant characteristics: Evergreen trees to 60 ft. or more, with long slender branches; lvs. linear-lanceolate, 2-4 in. long and 1/6-1/4 in. across, long acuminate, stiff, midrib indistinct above, soft grayish or bluish green, short petioled; trees dioecious; male cones catkin-like, 1-3 per leaf axil, ½ in. to 1 inch long, cone bracts spirally disposed, each bract with 2 sporangia; female cones of 2-4 bracts, 1 bract with 1-2 ovules, developing 1 seed, seed enclosed by a fleshy epimatium forming a glaucous-blue hard fruit 1/2 to 3/4 inch long.

Habitat: Escape from cultivation where it is often grown as an espaliered vine. It is a clean, mostly pest free tree, shrub, or container plant. Good indoors or out but doing best in the warmest areas such as the California Central Valley. Requires shade in the desert.

Name: Greek, Podocar-pus, foot and fruit. (Bailey 101). Latin, gracil, slender, thin. (Jaeger 112).

General: Rare in the study area with only one plant known and this located under the tree canopy on the bay side of Back Bay Dr. approximately 200 feet from the beginning of the hill where Back Bay Dr. terminates into Eastbluff Dr. I have never seen the plant bloom possibly because it is in heavy shade most of the time. (my comments). P. gracilior is often sold in nurseries as Podocarpus elongatus. (Sunset New Western Garden Book, 1984 Edition. 422. About 75 species of mostly dioecious, coniferous trees and shrubs, native to the temperate S. Hemisphere and to mountains and highlands of the tropics. An important timber tree in Africa. (Bailey, Hortus Third, 891.

Text Ref: Bailey 101; Bailey, Hortus Third, 891; Sunset New Western Garden Book, 1984 Edition. 422.

Photo Ref: May-June 2000 #15,16; Mar-April 2001 #10; June 06 #5A.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.

First Found: May 2000.

Have plant specimen.

Computer Ref: Plant Data 565.

Last edit: 6/27/06.

                   October Photo                                                   June Photo