90313No, it is not an oxymoron. ‘Yellowwood’ is the common name for a few specie of Podocarpus. The evergreen (or ‘everblue’) foliage of ‘Icee Blue’ yellowwood, Podocarpus elongatus ‘Monmal’, really is as silvery grayish blue as the name implies. It can be as striking as some cultivars of Colorado blue spruce. It grows slowly in narrow columnar form to only about fifteen or twenty feet tall.

The finely textured evergreen foliage is ideal for both formal hedges and informal screens, although it takes a while to fill in, particularly for larger hedges and screens. Tip pruning of lanky growth of informal screens improves density. The narrow leaves are about two inches long. Fresh new foliage may be lighter and very slightly greener, which can contrast nicely with more mature foliage.

‘Icee Blue’ yellowwood will tolerate a bit of partial shade, but exhibits the best color in full sun. It prefers to be watered somewhat regularly while getting established. As it matures, it becomes less reliant on watering. Like many other Podocarpus, it is susceptible to infestation by scale insects and the ants that cultivate them. Scale produce sticky honeydew which blackens with sooty mold.

4 thoughts on “‘Icee Blue’ Yellowwood

  1. Wow is that a gorgeous shrub. I can’t even grow the fine leafed variety that they occasionally sell as a house plant here. It doesn’t get scale but it just gradually dies, stem by stem. Very depressing.

    Karla

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    1. Houseplants? How odd. If they are the fern pine, Podocarpus gracilior, they grow into rather larger trees here, with remarkably complaisant roots systems.

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  2. Gorgeous! The only Podocarpus I have seen is P. elatus (Plum Pine) which is native to Aust. My parents have one on the farm near the river. But the grey of yours is stunning.

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    1. I have never seen a Podararpus elatus. Only a few are grown here, and the Podarcups macrophyllus is generally not the best. However, this one is really worth growing, and does not seem to be as susceptible to scale infestation. It is seriously about as blue as blue spruce!

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