How To Grow And Care For Podocarpus

Podocarpus includes several varieties of evergreen trees and shrubs with differing traits, but any of them will add a beautiful shade of green to your landscape. One thing we love is the way they also provide structure and privacy. (Think about planting podocarpus to block an unsightly view!) Although sometimes mistaken for yews, the leaves of the podocarpus are longer, broader, and lighter in color.

If grown from cuttings or grafts of a mature tree, plants have smaller, more closely set leaves, but they have very limber branches and are often reluctant to make strong vertical growth. These more willowy plants are a great choice for espalier, hanging pots, or to grow as vines along fences and are often sold as Podocarpus elongatus. Given staking and tying, Podocarpus elongatus types eventually become upright trees, though their foliage mass persists in drooping for some time. An exception is Podocarpus 'Icee Blue', which has striking blue-gray foliage and shrubby, upright growth to 25 feet tall and wide.

Podocarpus plants are male or female, and they don’t bloom, but if a female plant grows nearby, it will eventually bear fruit after many years, producing small, berry-like fruit that birds like. This plant grows slowly in most soils but may develop chlorosis (yellow leaves with green veins) where the soil is alkaline. Podocarpus tolerates drought and salt spray, making it a good choice in the coastal South. 

Plant Attributes

Podocarpus Care

Like many trees, podocarpus are not fussy and require very little care. Give them full sun to partial shade and moist but well-drained soil, and the tree will grow well. You can grow them as specimen trees, as a hedge wall for privacy, or as a windbreak. Southern gardeners who want to have fun will enjoy training podocarpus from willowy grafts into espalier or shape small shrubs into potted bonsai. Podocarpus tolerates salt and drought well.

Light

Podocarpus prefer a sunny location but they will grow as well in partial shade. The more sunshine they receive, the more these trees and shrubs will thrive.

Soil

Podocarpus prefers rich, organic soil that is moist and drains well. Podocarpus won’t grow well in soggy, heavy soil.

Water

When you first plant a young podocarpus tree or shrub, it will need regular water in the first year to get established, but after that, podocarpus is drought-resistant and will require no special watering.

Temperature and Humidity

Podocarpus grows well in the South, particularly in Zone 7-9, and does well with our humidity.

Fertilizer

The podocarpus tree or shrub doesn’t require fertilizer, but a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring will encourage growth. Do not fertilize in the fall.

Types of Podocarpus

Southern Yew (‘P. macrophyllus’): This shrub or tree grows well in USDA Zones 7–9 with bright green leaves that are about four inches long. This podocarpus grows narrow and upright, about 15-50 feet tall and six to eight feet wide. Plant Southern Yew as a screen shrub or as a specimen tree in your landscape. This plant is bendy enough to train in espalier and can be clipped into a hedge or topiary. Native to eastern China and Japan.

Shrubby Yew (‘P. macrophyllus maki’): This dwarf variety is slower growing and reaches 8–15 ft. tall and maintains a dense and upright form of two to four feet wide. A shrubby, yew-like pine, ‘Maki’ makes an excellent hedge.  

Fern Pine (‘P. gracilior’): This tree grows in USDA Zone 10–11 (TS). Originating in eastern Africa, this tree grows 30–50 ft tall. It is among the cleanest, most pest-free trees for streets, lawns, patios, and gardens; plant it as a hedge or big shrub.

Propagating Podocarpus

To propagate podocarpus, find a small branch of new growth a few inches long and cut it from the tree. You’ll want to remove any leaves near the cut end. Then dip the end into a rooting hormone and plant in  small pot with soil that drains well. Keep the soil moist and roots should form.  

Potting and Repotting Podocarpus

If you live above USDA Zone 8, small varieties of podocarpus can make a good potted container, because they don’t like cold weather and the container makes it possible to move them out of the cold. The most important thing to do when choosing a pot is to find one that’s a few inches larger than the roots of your podocarpus. This will allow the roots to spread out and the tree to grow. When the roots fill the pot, it’s time to choose a bigger pot. You also want to make sure the pot has holes for drainage.

Overwintering

You don’t need to overwinter podocarpus when they are planted in Zone 8 or higher. Trees or shrubs will do just fine in the ground. But above Zone 8, podocarpus should be overwintered. The best way to do this is to plant your podocarpus tree in a container so you can manage its size and protect it from winter temperatures.

Common Problems With Podocarpus

This tree is easy-going and not prone to any particular problems, but if you notice the leaves turning brown, it might need a deep soaking.