Common Name:

General Information

Podocarpus laetus is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 20 metres tall. The stout bole can be 125cm in diameter[].
The wood was much used by the Maori and early settlers and the tree became heavily exploited as a commercial timber. However, the use of this species as a timber tree has virtually vanished with the legal protection against logging of native trees in New Zealand. Currently, the tree can only be logged on strictly limited levels if it has first been planted and grown to maturity.
Although past logging has affected this species in a similar way as it has some other New Zealand podocarps, the extensive range, in combination with its greater altitudinal range, has guaranteed its survival over a sufficiently large area so that it has not met the criteria for a threatened category under criterion A. As with the other species, the current protective measures in New Zealand will cause this species to expand again in future. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

New Zealand - North and South Islands

Habitat

Evergreen coniferous and mixed forest from near sea level to 1,000 metres[]

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a rich moist non-alkaline soil, succeeding in full sun or in partial shade[].
Species in this genus are generally slow-growing[].
A dioecious species; both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw. A sweet flavour[]. The 'fruit' is actually a succulent, swollen, fruit-like stalk[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

Although potentially not as big a tree, this species was used for very similar purposes to that of Totara (Podocarpuis totara), including the construction of houses, fence posts, railway sleepers, etc[].

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[].