Common Name: Australian Plum

General Information

Podocarpus elatus is an evergreen tree with a dense, dark-green crown; it can grow up to 40 metres tall. The bole, which is often irregular, especially at the base, can be up to 90cm in diameter. The tree does not have cones like other conifers but instead have a single seed attached by a fleshy stem to the branch[].
The edible fruit is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use. The high quality wood is exploited commercially, though only on a small scale since most of the area in which it grows is protected. This species is occasionally planted as a park or street ornamental tree; in deforested areas turned over to agriculture mature individuals may have been retained as amenity trees.
Podocarpus elatus has a wide distribution and is present in numerous forest reserves, where logging is either banned or limited to allow natural regeneration. Past decline has come to a halt in almost all locations where this species still occurs and there is potential for increase in future with changed forestry practices. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

Superficially similar to Taxus species, but this plant is definitely not poisonous[].

Botanical References

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Range

Australia - New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria

Habitat

Coastal scrub forest[]. Dense subtropical, riverine and seashore rainforests, at elevations up to 1,000 metres[]. Well developed rainforest, but more abundant in drier rainforest[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Podocarpus elatus is a plant of the moist subtropics and tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres[, ]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 18 - 30°c, but can tolerate 8 - 34°c[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -2°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at 0°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1.000 - 1,500mm, but tolerates 800 - 1,700mm[].
Prefers a sunny position[]. Prefers a rich moist non-alkaline soil[]. Resists salt spray[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7.5[]. The best development is obtained in coastal lowlands on deep alluvial soils besides river banks[].
A fast-growing tree, it takes 8 - 10 years from seed to reach sexual maturity[].
The tree usually survives forest fires[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, ]. It makes a tasty jelly[]. Rich and sweet[]. Mucilaginous with a resinous flavour[, ]. A reasonable size, the fruit is about 25mm in diameter[]. The seed is borne on the top of the fruit[]. The 'fruit' is actually a succulent, swollen, fruit-like stalk[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is silky textured, tough, strong, highly durable and resistant to termites and marine borers like barnacles. It is easy to work, takes a fine polish. It is used for a wide range of purposes such as cabinet making, furniture (especially outdoor furniture), turnery, joinery, musical instruments, packing cases, carpentry, construction work such as piles and jetties in salt water, indoor use and boat building[, , , , , ]. A useful carving timber[].

Propagation

The seed can be sown at any time of the year in a sandy soil in a warm greenhouse, though it is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe terminal shoots, 5 - 10cm long, mid summer in a frame[].