Podocarpus macrophyllus seed

LATIN NAME: Podocarpus macrophyllus

COMMON NAME: Buddhist Pine, Yew Plum Pine, Fern Pine, Kusamaki

The Buddhist pine is one of the most elegant of the conifers, and it has been treasured in the gardens and temples of East Asia for centuries. It grows as a small, evergreen tree or large shrub, reaching up to twenty metres in the wild but often kept smaller, with a dense, upright crown of long, narrow, dark green, yew-like leaves, and, in spring, small, inconspicuous flowers, followed by the distinctive, fleshy, bluish or purple fruits, borne singly on their stalks, which give the plum pines their name. It is a native of southern Japan and southern and eastern China, and it is one of the most widely grown and most beloved of the garden conifers of East Asia.

The Buddhist pine belongs to the podocarp family, Podocarpaceae, and it is the northernmost species of the genus, native to southern Japan and southern and eastern China. It is a conifer with yew-like leaves, and it is widely grown as an ornamental, valued in the gardens and temples of East Asia.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The Buddhist pine has a genuine and growing place in both botanical and horticultural research. It has been studied in botany, since it is the northernmost species of the genus Podocarpus, a group of the ancient conifer family Podocarpaceae, and researchers have examined its classification, its relationships and its place among the podocarps, which is of interest in the study of conifer evolution. The tree has also been studied in horticulture, since it is one of the most widely grown and most beloved of the garden conifers of East Asia, prized for its elegant, yew-like foliage and its adaptability, and it is used in gardens, in temples, as a hedge and in bonsai, while researchers have examined its cultivation and its care. The species has also been studied in ecology, since it is a native of the forests of southern Japan and China. For a conifer of such elegance and such long cultivation, the Buddhist pine has a rich and growing record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Ecologically, the Buddhist pine is a generous tree of the East Asian garden. Its small flowers feed insects, and its fleshy fruits feed birds and small mammals, while its dense, evergreen crown gives shelter, and it has been a valued member of the gardens and forests of East Asia for a long time.

Its economic value is real and varied. It is one of the most widely grown ornamental conifers of East Asia, used in gardens, as a hedge and in bonsai, and it is also valued for its timber, which is fine and even-grained, while it has been a beloved plant of the temples for centuries. For a grower, the Buddhist pine is a valuable and rewarding conifer, and for a gardener it brings elegant, yew-like foliage and a link to the gardens of East Asia. The seeds are easy — sow them in a pot of moist, free-draining compost in spring, keep them lightly watered in a bright, sheltered spot, and they’ll sprout steadily over a few weeks, growing on into an elegant, evergreen tree.

Very nice Potted plant seeds.