Walton's Plant Library

Other Names:  Shrubby Japanese Yew, Buddhist Pine

Brand:  Monrovia

Description:

This dense, dwarf form is ideal as a foundation shrub, or garden accent; great for urban planting along streets and medians; excellent as a low sheared hedge because of its dense, long lived foliage

Ornamental Features

Pringle's Dwarf Shrubby Podocarpus has attractive dark green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring on a dwarf conifer with an upright spreading habit of growth. The glossy narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. It features subtle clusters of creamy white catkins at the ends of the branches in mid spring. It produces powder blue berries in mid summer.

Landscape Attributes

Pringle's Dwarf Shrubby Podocarpus is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Pringle's Dwarf Shrubby Podocarpus is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Pringle's Dwarf Shrubby Podocarpus will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Pringle's Dwarf Shrubby Podocarpus makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.