FAQ

The podocarpus is a large shrub to small tree. Plants can achieve 8 to 10 feet (2 to 3 m.) in height with an upright, slightly pyramidal form and finely textured, slender evergreen leaves that are very resistant to deer damage.

Podocarpus prefer a well-drained soil. Daily misting  is  great for outdoor plants. When young, they'll require some water to establish roots, however are quite drought tolerant when established and will require little if any supplemental irrigation. That said, if you see new leaves wilting or the tips of new stems bending over during dry weather this could be a sign your plants could use a good deep soaking. Gray needles are a sign of overwatering. 

Podocarpus can grow between 8-10+ feet with proper care and maintenance. 

To use the podocarpus as a hedge, buy them small (1.5 to 2 feet high) in 3 gallon pots or as high as 8 feet tall in 25 pots; and plant them touching each other to create a good solid privacy Podocarpus Hedge. When first planted do not fertilize the podocarpus hedge until the plants are established. Start lightly shearing, pruning and training the first year, and always keeping the top slightly smaller than the bottom.

To use the podocarpus as a hedge, buy them small (2 to 3 feet high) and plantthem 2 feet apart.

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.

Remove dead or broken branches of young podocarpus whenever you notice the damage. Cut off a dead branch at the point it leaves the central trunk. Prune out a broken branch just above a lateral branch, 6 inches into healthy wood.

For podocarpus privacy hedges, we recommend planting between 2-3 feet apart.