Photographed 5/20/2017, Olympia, Washington, copyright © 2017, Ian Barclay.

Family: Podocarpaceae Native to: southeast Australia at high altitudes Dimensions: shrub to 2 - 3' tall, 6' wide Cold resistance: hardy to at least 0 - 5°F Drought resistance: unknown, best in average to moist soil Key Features: glossy green needles, easy care shrub, always looks good; some interesting cultivars exist Uses: borders, conifer collection, sun or part shade, great in containers. Description: Usually one sees various cultivars and selections of this, but the species itself is also a nice plant, and quite rare. With soft, slightly glossy needles; this plant is green, which we have found is a color common to many plants. Variable in form, our plant seems to want to be a low shrub to 2 - 3' tall with greater spread. It blends very well with other conifers and with many shrubs commonly used in Northwest gardens. Easily grown in sun or part shade, it will be happiest with a little water in hot sites. Numerous cultivars of this plant exist, and while I don't have them all, I sometimes offer the following: 'Blue Gem' takes on blue tones depending on the season. 'Red Tip' has slightly smaller needles with reddish new growth tips in spring and summer. Taxonomic note: Many authorities now consider this species to be synonymous with P. lawrencei. However, the P. lawrencei 'Purple King' I sometimes offer is so different from these, that it gets its own page for the time being.

Podocarpus alpinus 'Red Tip'
Photographed 7/28/2010, McComb Gardens, Sequim, Washington, copyright © 2010, Ian Barclay.

Podocarpus alpinus 'Blue Gem'
Photographed 7/28/2010, McComb Gardens, Sequim, Washington, copyright © 2010, Ian Barclay.

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