Podocarpus totara D.Don

A conifer like tree. It keeps its leaves throughout the year. It grows 30 m high. The crown can be pyramid shaped or spreading. The trunk can be 2 m across. The bark is reddish-brown and becomes thick and stringy. It peels off in long strips. The leaves are small and narrow. They are 1.5-3 cm long and 3 mm wide. They have a sharp tip. The young leaves are bright green but turn blue-green with age. Trees are separately male and female. The male flowers are like cones. They are 1.5-2 cm long and light yellow-green. They have many scales. The female flowers are similar but on short stalks. The male flowers are on last year's growth and the female flowers on recent growth. The fruit are plump, oval and shiny. They become bright red when ripe. They are 6 mm long. The seed extends out the end of the receptacle.

It is a temperate plant. It will grow in full sun or light shade. They can tolerate wind and coastal conditions. It is cold hardy once established. It can then tolerate temperatures down to-10°C. It can grow on a range of soils. It is often best in an acidic or neutral soil. Hobart Botanical Gardens. Arboretum Tasmania.

The fleshy receptacle is eaten. Caution: Eating lots of fruit can cause constipation.

Plants are grown from seed. Seed is best sown fresh. Seed that has been stored needs to be soaked in warm water for 24 hours before planting. Trees need to be 10-20 m apart. Cuttings of semi-ripe would can sometimes form roots.