Podocarpus acts as a decorative plant in your garden. Podocarpus is a very easy plant to grow as it requires very little care.
Podocarpus adds ornamental beauty to homes and streets. Today, we are going to shed some light on how fast podocarpus grows.
How fast does podocarpus grow?
How fast podocarpus grow depends on the variety. Some podocarpus grow up to one hundred or more feet in height while others remain under ten feet. Podocarpus plants grow about one foot per year. Podocarpus only needs sunlight, moist soil, and fertilizers to attain natural growth.
There are many different varieties of podocarpus hedge and trees. Some of them are Macrophyllus, Henkelii, Costalis, Brown pine, Gracilior, Maki, Totara, and Latifolius. The growth rate of some of the varieties are:
Podocarpus Gracilior:
The growth rate of Podocarpus gracilior is very slow. It grows only six inches per year. Another name for Podocarpus gracilior is fern pine. At its final stage, Podocarpus gracilior can grow up to sixty feet.
Podocarpus Macrophyllus/ Yew Podocarpus:
Podocarpus macrophyllus has an average growth rate which is one foot per year. Another name for Podocarpus macrophyllus is yew podocarpus.
This plant grows well even in cold conditions and has immunity against salt. Podocarpus macrophyllus can reach the height of forty feet.
Podocarpus Maki:
Podocarpus maki is another interesting variety. Podocarpus maki possesses a very slow growth rate. It requires approximately ten years to grow up to seventy two to ninety six inches. Podocarpus maki grows well in moisturized land.
Podocarpus Henkelii/ Henkel’s Yellowwood:
Podocarpus henkelii is also known as Henkel’s yellowwood. This variety of podocarpus is generally grown in the African region and has a fast growth rate. It can grow up to ninety eight feet in height.
Podocarpus Costalis:
Podocarpus costalis is a slightly smaller variety of podocarpus plant possessing a slow growth rate. It grows only forty eight to sixty inches in height. It is mostly found in the Philippines and Taiwan.
Podocarpus Elatus:
Podocarpus elatus is also known as brown pine. It has a very fast growth rate and can grow up to one hundred to one hundred and twenty feet in height. It is a very famous plant in Australia.
Podocarpus Totara:
Podocarpus totara is mostly famous in New Zealand. It has an above average growth rate and can grow up to sixty six to eighty two feet in height. In some cases, it can even grow up to one hundred and fifteen feet in height.
Podocarpus Latifolius/ Real Yellowwood:
Podocarpus latifolius is also known as real yellowwood. The fun fact about real yellowwood is that it is the national tree of South Africa. It has a fast growth rate and can grow up to ninety eight feet in height.
Does Podocarpus grow quickly?
Podocarpus growing quickly or slowly depends on the variety of podocarpus you are planting. Some have a very fast growth rate while others grow at a slightly slower pace.
For example, Podocarpus gracilior, Podocarpus macrophyllus and podocarpus maki possess a slightly slower growth rate in comparison to other podocarpus plants.
With the right care, podocarpus plants can attain their full growth. Podocarpus plants need sunlight, moist land, fertilizer, and water.
You also need to trim your podocarpus plants regularly so that it does not lose their lower branches due to imbalance.
How do you make Podoc,arpus grow faster?
There are many ways that can be applied to make Podocarpus grow faster. Some of them are:
Planting them in moist soil:
Podocarpus plants need to be planted in moist soil. The nutrition of moist soil helps Podocarpus to grow faster. Most of the varieties of Podocarpus need moist soil to thrive.
Positioning them under sunlight:
Podocarpus plants need sunlight to grow faster. So if your podocarpus plants are not getting enough sunlight, then it is more than likely that their growth would take a great hit nd would be weak and small.
Watering them carefully:
You have to carefully water your podocarpus plants. If you don’t water them carefully, it will result in podocarpus plants developing mold. So you need to water your podocarpus plants via soaker hose.
Using Magnesium Sulphate:
Some of the Podocarpus varieties face deficiency of magnesium if they are not planted on the right kind of soil. In that case, you have to take the help of Magnesium Sulphate to get rid of this unpleasant deficiency.
Applying fertilizer:
Fertilizer is one of the most important components in terms of Podocarpus plants. The fertilizers are needed to be utilized in June & September.
Because applying fertilizer in these two months yields out the best result. The ratio for applying fertilizer in Podocarpus plants is six-six-six.
Where does Podocarpus grow best?
Podocarpus is a strong and adaptive plant. So mostly it does well in any given conditions. But there are some conditions which bring the best out of these plants. Some of them are:
Grows better in the sun rather than in the shed:
Podocarpus requires the sun to gain its best possible color. The growth speed also increases when it is placed under sunlight. You must place your podocarpus plants under the sun and make sure that it gets enough sun every day.
Podocarpus loses its true color when it is planted under the shed and also its growth speed takes a significant hit. So try to plant your podocarpus in the sun rather than in the shed for the best growth rate.
Grows better in moist soil rather than in wet soil:
Podocarpus plants need to be planted in moist soil for the best possible result. You have to make sure that the soil has a good drainage system.
Wet soil can drain out the nutrition from the soil. Without the much-needed nutrition of the soil, the podocarpus plant will not grow well.
How to make podocarpus grow thicker?
Some people face the problem of their podocarpus plants not growing thick enough. It is a very common phenomenon. But there are some methods which can be applied to make podocarpus plants grow thicker. Some of them are:
Trim them properly:
If your podocarpus plants stop growing thicker, then start trimming them from the top. It will make your podocarpus plants eventually thicker and bushier. For trimming, a pruner would be a better choice than a hedge trimmer.
You have to be precise while cutting the branches. You need to stay away from cutting the stems. You need to trim the hedges every two months to keep it in good shape and it will eventually start growing thicker.
Avoid sandy soil:
If you want your podocarpus plants to grow thicker, you have to avoid sandy soil at all cost. Sandy soil can hamper the growth of your podocarpus plant by causing magnesium deficiency.
Water the soil instead of the leaves:
You need to water the soil instead of the leaves of the podocarpus plants. Watering the leaves would just make the plant dull and hamper its growth. So you need to water the soil to make the plants grow thicker.
Feed your plants regularly:
Feed your podocarpus plants fertilizer regularly. When the podocarpus growth time arrives, feed them fertilizer three times regularly. The best kind of fertilizer for podocarpus plants is Pro Shrub Fertilizer.
How tall does a podocarpus grow?
How tall podocarpus grows depends on the kind of podocarpus you are growing. Some podocarpus plants grow very tall while others do not. Podocarpus gracilior can grow sixty feet tall under normal circumstances.
Podocarpus macrophyllus also known as yew podocarpus can grow forty feet tall under normal circumstances.
Podocarpus Maki can grow seventy two to ninety six inches or six to eight feet tall. Podocarpus Henkelii, also known as Henkel’s yellowwood, can grow ninety eight feet tall in the right conditions.
Podocarpus costalis is a small variety of podocarpus plants. It can grow forty eight to sixty inches or four to five feet tall.
Podocarpus elatus also known as brown pine can grow one hundred to one hundred and twenty feet tall. Podocarpus Totara can grow sixty six to eighty two in height. Podocarpus Latifolius can grow ninety eight feet tall.
Do Podocarpus have invasive roots?
Podocarpus don’t have invasive roots. That is why podocarpus can be grown on the streets. It has a high tolerance towards wind damage.
Podocarpus hedges and shrubs add ornamental beauty to both your house and the sidewalks. It is a sight to behold when a podocarpus hedge blossoms and attains its natural beautiful state.
Final Thoughts
Generally, podocarpus grows very fast at an average of one foot per year. It is an adaptive plant and needs a significant amount of natural light, moist soil, water, and fertilizer to maintain its natural growth. It also needs to be trimmed regularly to be able to grow fast.