Taxonomy

Division:

Coniferophyta | - Conifers

Family:

Podocarpaceae

Genus:

Podocarpus

Species:

Podocarpus totara

USDA Symbol:

POTO4

Growth Characteristics

Height:

3000 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers fertile soils in native forests

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

30–180 days

Notes:

Germination can be slow and erratic. Fresh seed germinates best; removing fleshy aril may improve results.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI