Podocarpus elatus
| Podocarpus elatus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 10 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Evergreen Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 98' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Podocarpus elatus (common name: australian plum)
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[1]. 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, July/August in a frame[2].
Cultivation: Prefers a rich moist non-alkaline soil[3]. Resists salt spray[4]. Grows best in areas with a humid climate[5].
Plants tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[4], but this cannot be translated directly to British gardens because of our cooler summers and longer colder and wetter winters. They can be grown outdoors in the milder areas of Britain, preferably in a woodland garden[6].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[5].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria.
Habitat: Coastal scrub forest[3]. Once a common tree in Australia, it is now rare due to the destruction of the rainforests[7].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[8][4]. It makes a tasty jelly[3]. Rich and sweet[7]. Mucilaginous with a resinous flavour[9][7]. A reasonable size, the fruit is about 25mm in diameter[3]. The seed is borne on the top of the fruit[7].
Usage: Wood - tough, durable, silky textured. Used for cabinet making, indoor use and boat building[8][3].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
In Leaf: Evergreen
Seed Ripens: Mid Fall
Flower Type: Dioecious
Known Hazards: Superficially similar to Taxus species, but this plant is definitely not poisonous[5].
Links
References
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Holliday, Ivan and Ron Hill. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller, 1974.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Taylor, Jane. The Milder Garden. Dent, 1990.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Low, Tim. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson, 1989.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cribb, Alan. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins, 1981.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.