Neha Patil (Editor)

Podocarpus lawrencei

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Kingdom
  
Order
  
Genus
  
Higher classification
  
Plum pine

Division
  
Pinophyta

Family
  
Scientific name
  
Podocarpus lawrencei

Rank
  
Species

Podocarpus lawrencei View Plant Great Plant Picks

Similar
  
Plum pine, Conifers, Podocarpus alpinus, Podocarpus nivalis, Podocarpus elatus

Podocarpus lawrencei is a species of podocarp native throughout the Australian high country, from southern Tasmania through to the New South Wales highlands. Common names are Errinundra plum-pine and mountain plum-pine (though it is neither a pine nor a plum). It grows on exposed sites to 1,800 m, often forming living carpets over rocks through wind pruning.

Contents

Podocarpus lawrencei Podocarpus photo Podocarpus lawrencei G114360 ARKive

Mountain plum-pine can live up to 600 years, and the growth rings vary with the temperature of the growing season, with narrower rings indicating unusually snowy years. These factors make it useful for determining past climate conditions in the Australian Alps.

Podocarpus lawrencei Podocarpus photo Podocarpus lawrencei G114362 ARKive

Description

Podocarpus lawrencei Podocarpus Lawrencei from Burncoose Nurseries

The leaves are 1 cm long and 2–3 mm broad, green, often reddish-tinted, particularly so in cold winter weather. It has small bright red berry-like cones, with a 5–10 mm long red aril and one (rarely two) apical seeds 6–8 mm long; they are eaten by birds and marsupials, but are toxic to most other mammals (including humans).

Podocarpus lawrencei httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommons44

Whilst it is normally low growing, rarely reaching more than 1 m in the Australian Alps, on the Errinundra Plateau in eastern Victoria it reaches 15 m in height. The timber is too rare to be used for woodcrafts.

Cultivation

Podocarpus lawrencei Podocarpus lawrencei Growing Native Plants

Mountain plum-pine is tolerant of quite dry conditions and can resprout after losing all its leaves from drought. It survives −16 °C to 45 °C and grows well in full sun or fairly heavy shade. It is slow growing, putting on about 3–5 cm of length each year. It can be grown from cuttings or seed. New foliage is usually a lime green, darkening to olive green as it hardens.

Podocarpus lawrencei Podocarpus lawrencei Growing Native Plants

Ideally the mountain plum-pine should be grown in full sunlight with plenty of water. It makes a good indoor plant in a bright window. It is an excellent bonsai or hedging plant, although it does require patience.

References

Podocarpus lawrencei Wikipedia


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