| Common Name: |
Podocarpus, Yew Pine, Buddhist Pine |
| Scientific Name: |
Podocarpus macrophyllus |
| Hardiness Zone: |
Zones 8B through 11 |
| Family: |
Podocarpaceae |
General Information
Podocarpus macrophyllus (Kusamaki or Inumaki) is a conifer in the genus Podocarpus, family Podocarpaceae. It is the northernmost species of the genus, native to southern Japan and southern China. Kusamaki (????) and Inumaki (??) are Japanese names for this tree, and Kusamaki is increasingly being used as the English name as well, replacing the old, botanically inaccurate names "buddhist pine" and "fern pine" (it is not a pine). In China, it is known as ??? luo han song. Kusamaki is the state tree of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is a popular large shrub or small tree in gardens, particularly in Japan and the southeastern United States.
| Bark Characteristics: |
Light brown, peeling bark. |
| Leaf/Foliage Characteristics: |
Leathery, soft-textured, shiny dark green, yew-like needles (to 4” long) arranged in dense spirals. Foliage is pleasantly fragrant when bruised |
| Growth Characteristics |
Slow growing. |
| Flower/Fruit Characteristics: |
Ellipsoidal fruits (to 1.5” long) are fleshy, olive-green, berry-like cones that ripen in the second year to purple. Fruits may be eaten out of hand or used in pies and cakes |
| Lighting: |
Best growth in Full sun; will tolerate partial sun or partial shade, shade tolerant |
| Watering: |
Likes slightly moist soil, if needles start turning gray, this is a sign of over-watering. |
| Feeding: |
Well balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20. |
| Pruning/Wiring: |
Podocarpus tend to grow straight up, with very little if any side branching. Cutting back hard will result in back budding. Green wood may be wired loosly, older wood may be wired but may be dificult to bend if too thick. Podocarpus are mostly displayed as formal or informal uprights. The use of carving tends to enhance the appearance of Podocarpus because of the contrasting colors between live and dead wood. |
| Propagation: |
Propagation is by seeds or cuttings. Hardwood cuttings root easily. Cutting propagation would ensure more uniform trees than seedlings. |
| Potting: |
Every 3-4 years in the spring, cut back roots no more than 10-15% |
| Pests: |
Scale, mites, mealy bugs. |
| Diseases: |
Sooty mold, susceptible to root rot wwith poor draining soils. |
| Bibliography: |
ENH 470, ENH 471, FPS-274, Environmental Horticulture Department,"Edward F. Gilman, associate professor, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, associate professor, Agricultural Engineering Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611." |
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