Life Cycle
Perennial
Water Requirement
Moderate
Light Requirement
Full Shade
Full Sun
Partial Shade
Partial Sun
Max Height
4-10 ft
Price
$11.95

Podocarpus is an excellent hedge, often used for privacy. It can be kept more narrow than other hedges and is easy to maintain since it is slower growing. Podocarpus grows dense, has a rich green color, can be kept very neat and lends a well-groomed look to the garden.

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How to care for Podocarpus

Light. Grows best and densest in full sun. In shade it grows more slowly and looser, but it still grows on the north side of a building with little direct sun.

Water. Water regularly until established; then it is highly drought tolerant. Avoid wet soil, which invites root rot.

Soil and feeding. It handles sand, clay, loam and alkaline or acidic soil, as long as it drains well. On sandy soil yellowing from magnesium shortage is common and easy to fix with Magnesium Sulfate.

Size. Kept as a hedge, about 4–10 ft. Unsheared it grows slowly into a tree 30–40 ft tall.

Pruning. It looks best trimmed with hand pruners rather than sheared with a hedge trimmer.

Problems to watch. Podocarpus aphids curl and stunt new spring growth and leave sooty mold; spray Insecticidal Soap. Scale and mites occur at times.

Good to know. Highly tolerant of salt spray. The seeds are toxic, so do not eat any part that looks like fruit.