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Trim the green tips of the podocarpus to shape the tree or encourage fullness. Prune the outermost growth very lightly to create hedges. Act in July or August to experience a second flush of growth. Avoid shearing the branches of this tree in any season.
How do you grow a thick Podocarpus hedge?
Create a dense evergreen hedgerow by planting Podocarpus shrubs about 2 feet (60 cm) apart. Once established, clip or trim the Japanese yew’s foliage to grow a dense hedge. When trimming Podocarpus shrubs for hedges, don’t shear the plant’s sides as they need to grow together.
Is Podocarpus a good hedge?
Podocarpus gracilior This tree makes a great upright hedges, screens, and borders or can be used as a smaller patio tree.
How do you shape a Podocarpus?
One method to shape the tree is a light, occasional clipping to encourage it to grow in the shape of a pyramid. Be sure to keep the base wider than the top so that the tree will become triangular with all branches receiving good light. It will look a bit like a Christmas tree.
Can Podocarpus be kept short?
Podocarpus trees grow relatively slowly, but over time can reach heights of up to 40 or 50 feet, with branches spreading up to 15 to 20 feet wide. These trees can also be pruned into columns or short hedges, but they require regular upkeep to maintain their shape.
How do you hedge Podocarpus?
Cut individual branches back by one-half to one-third of their length each time they grow 6 to 12 inches, cutting back to 1/4 inch above a leaf or node at a 45-degree angle. This applies especially to side growth, since these heading cuts encourage the denser growth you want in a privacy hedge.
How do you make Podocarpus grow faster?
Podocarpus can go without bright or direct light for long stretches but will grow taller and faster under the bright light of the sun. Like any plant, they do need regular watering, though they can stand long periods with no water, especially if the soil is particularly dense.
How tall can Podocarpus hedge grow?
Podocarpus gracilior is a medium-sized tree that grows to 65-130′ tall. Its leaves are spirally arranged on mature trees with purple seeds that are frequently dispersed by birds that eat the fleshy seed coating. This is one of the most popular hedge and screen plants in the Bay Area.
How can you tell if a Podocarpus is male or female?
Trees are either male or female. Males have yellowish pollen-producing catkin-like cones and females bear the seeds.
Should you trim Podocarpus?
Time to Prune Pruning Podocarpus in the summer encourages secondary growth that is as attractive as new spring growth. Although you might be cutting out its attractive red or purple fruits, pruning in late summer through October might give you a better flush of new growth the following spring.
Can you top a Podocarpus tree?
Answer from Pat: Yes, you can prune your fern pine (Podocarpus gracilior) hedge now to keep it flat. Once it gets out of shape then it’s more difficult to correct. Most non-flowering hedges can be pruned year round, but they will grow faster in warmer weather.
How far should you plant podocarpus?
Place these shrubs 3 feet apart. Come away from the house 2-1/2 or 3 feet. Along a walk or driveway, come in 4 to 5 feet to allow for mature size. This plant will work in a large container.
What is the growth rate of podocarpus?
Podocarpus gracilior, or fern pine, can reach 60′ in old age, but grows very slowly (less than 6″ per year). In fact they are often sold as basket or dish plants, and many are espaliered. So, to keep your plant small, prune periodically while it’s young.
Are podocarpus roots invasive?
Young plants should be babied a bit but, once established, Podocarpus tree care is minimal. The plant is not considered invasive and it has no pest or disease issues of concern.
Why do Podocarpus turn brown?
They can suffer from root rot if the soil is kept too wet, though. This might be the case if you watered more often than once a week or if they are near a lawn or flower bed that is watered frequently. Symptoms of root rot are browning foliage.
What is the fastest growing hedge for privacy?
The Leylandii is a conifer that’s the fastest-growing, evergreen hedge and will create one quickly. If it is pruned every year, Leylandii will create a formal dark-green evergreen screen or box-shaped hedge, similar to a Yew hedge.
What is best fertilizer for Podocarpus?
Feed Podocarpus macrophyllus a 6-6-6 fertilizer three times each growing season.
Can you grow Podocarpus from cuttings?
PROPAGATION – Podocarpus roots easily from cuttings. The best method seems to be simply to place softwood (preferably new growth) cuttings in water until roots form, then transplanting them into bonsai soil. Hardwood cuttings require the use of rooting hormone and bottom heat.
How do you fertilize a Podocarpus hedge?
Podocarpus are not heavy feeders however will benefit from fertilization. In The Ground: To maintain good foliage color and support growth and overall health of the plant, feed them in spring with a slow-release shrub & tree food, preferably one that contains iron and/or sulfur for deep greening.
What kind of soil does Podocarpus need?
Podocarpus trees prefer moist, well-draining, sandy soils but can tolerate a wide range of any well-draining soil types. They do not tolerate heavy, soggy soils.
How far apart should I plant Podocarpus hedge?
To use the podocarpus as a hedge, buy them small (2 to 3 feet high) and plant them 2 feet apart. Start light shearing and training the first year, always keeping the top slightly smaller than the bottom. Do not shear the sides where the plants face each other, because that is the space that needs to be filled in.
What is a good privacy hedge?
Camellia, laurel and hawthorn are all good privacy hedges. These fast-growing hedges are all evergreen and reach a good height. Evergreen shrubs and evergreen trees for gardens make for the best hedges for privacy as you don’t want your privacy to be compromised when the leaves fall off in fall.
