Yew or Fern Pine, Southern Yew, or Yellowwood
Podocarpus species (PODOCARPACEAE)
Planting and Growing Yew or Fern Pine
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow yew or fern pine, southern yew, or yellowwood in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, fruit, seeds or nuts of yew or fern pine, southern yew, or yellowwood
- Growing conditions for yew or fern pine, southern yew, or yellowwood
- When to plant yew or fern pine, southern yew, or yellowwood
- How to plant yew or fern pine, southern yew, or yellowwood
- How to prune yew or fern pine, southern yew, or yellowwood
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of yew or fern pine, southern yew, or yellowwood
- Landscape uses of yew or fern pine, southern yew, or yellowwood
- Pest and disease control for yew or fern pine, southern yew, or yellowwood
Growing Yew or Fern Pine
About 75 species of medium-growing, shrubby or upright and conical, either broad- or narrow-leaved, evergreen trees, 15–70 ft. (4.5–21 m) tall, depending on species, with mostly opposite, shiny or smooth, yewlike, deep green, divided leaves, 1/4–7 in. (6–180 mm) long, in flat, nodding, feathery leaflets.
Commonly cultivated species include weeping yew pine, Podocarpus gracilior; broad-leaved yellowwood, Podocarpus latifolius; yew plum pine, Podocarpus macrophyllus; and totara, Podocarpus totara.
Yew or Fern Pine Planting and Care Guide
Flowers and Fruit
Inconspicuous flowers on female trees form red, yellow, fleshy, berrylike fruit. Grown for foliage.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 7–11. Semi-hardy.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist to damp, well-drained soil. Fertility: Average–low. 6.0–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full sun to partial shade. Spacing varies depending on species.
Proper Care
Very easy. Keep damp; allow soil surface to dry between waterings. Avoid fertilizing. Prune to shape as for coniferous evergreens. Propagate by cuttings, seed.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, backgrounds, containers, hedges, screens in small-space, woodland gardens. Pest and disease resistant. Chlorosis susceptible.