Podocarpus coriaceus
Podocarpus coriaceus
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Podocarpus coriaceus is a plant of moderate elevations in the wild, it can be grown at low elevations down to sea level so long as there is enough rainfall. It grows well in Dominica Botanic Gardens, at an elevation of about 22metres, with a mean annual rainfall of 2,125mm[1]. Plants can withstand occasional, short-lived light frosts, tolerating temperatures down to around -1°c to +4.4°c[2]. Plants grow on poor, sandy soils in the wild. They are tolerant of high winds[3, 1]. The plants produce pollen and seed virtually throughout the year[4]. Species in this genus are generally slow-growing[3]. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[5].
Propagation
The seed can be sown at any time of the year in a sandy soil, though it is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe[6]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out. Cuttings of half-ripe terminal shoots, 5 - 10cm long, in a frame[7]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Podocarpus+coriaceus>
Pollinators
Wind
References
- [1]Dominica Botanic Gardens — http://www.da-academy.org/trees_shrubs.html ↩︎An on-line resource, providing top quality pictures and some basic information on various plants being grown at the Botanic Gardens, often including uses and habitat.
- [2]The Gymnosperm Database — http://www.conifers.org/index.htm ↩︎A vast amount of information on conifers and families of gymnosperms.
- [3]IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ↩︎A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
- [4]Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands — Little E.L.; Wadsworth F.H. · USDA, Forest Service; Washington. · 1964 ↩︎Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 250 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
- [5]Monocotyledons and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands — Acevedo-Rodríguez P. & Strong M.T. (Editors) · Smithsonian Institution; Washington. · 2005 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org · ISBN 0097-1618 ↩︎A treatment of the monocots and gymnosperms growing in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
- [6]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
- [7]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
- [8]Present and Potential Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean — Longwood.F.R. · USDA Forest Service; Washington, DC. · 1962 ↩︎Quite detailed information on more than 60 species of Caribbean timber trees, giving species descriptions, habitat, detailed info on the wood and some info on other uses. Available for download on the internet.