Podocarpus henkelii
Podocarpus henkelii
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Based on data from 11 collection localities, Podocarpus henkelii grows in areas where the mean annual temperature is 16.7°c, with an average minimum in the coldest month of 6.3°c, and a mean annual precipitation of 900mm. It is able to withstand some frost, tolerating occasional, short-lived temperatures down to between -1°c and +4.4°c[1]. A highland forest species that grows best on moist sites with high rainfall and deep doleritic soils[2]. Podocarpus henkelii grows best in deep and moist, sandy or loamy soil. It can tolerate less favourable sites, but then grows very slowly[2]. Established plants can tolerate some drought[2]. In South Africa and Zimbabwe it is commonly planted as an ornamental tree; outside the indigenous region of the species it is often planted in southern California. It is also in cultivation in England and Wales and young trees are offered to the trade from British nurseries[3]. 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.
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[4]. 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[5]. Seed collection from this tree is a struggle as the fungal disease black coral spot destroys many of the seeds. The seed that falls during the first 2 - 3 weeks is always highly infested, only the seed collected afterwards is good. The seed is perishable and must be kept in cold storage after collection. Under normal nursery conditions, seed germination takes 2 months. The germination period can be shortened by placing the seed trays on bottom-heated benches[2]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Podocarpus+henkelii>
Pollinators
Wind
References
- [1]The Gymnosperm Database — http://www.conifers.org/index.htm ↩︎A vast amount of information on conifers and families of gymnosperms.
- [2]PlantZAfrica.com — http://www.plantzafrica.com ↩︎An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
- [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]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 ]).
- [5]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.
- [6]Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607. — Chudnoff. Martin. · USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin. · 1984 ↩︎Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.