About Podocarpus lawrencei Hook.f.
Podocarpus lawrencei Hook.f., commonly called mountain plum-pine, has leaves 1 cm long and 2–3 mm broad. The leaves are green, often with a reddish tint, most noticeably during cold winter weather. New foliage is typically lime green, and darkens to olive green as it matures. This species produces small bright red, berry-like cones that have a 5–10 mm long red aril, and contain one (rarely two) apical seeds 6–8 mm long. Birds and marsupials eat these cones, but they are toxic to most other mammals, including humans. While it is normally low growing, rarely reaching more than 1 m tall in the Australian Alps, it can reach 15 m in height on the Errinundra Plateau in eastern Victoria. The timber of this species is too rare to be used for woodcrafts. In cultivation, mountain plum-pine is tolerant of fairly dry conditions and can resprout after losing all of its leaves from drought. It tolerates temperatures from −16 °C to 45 °C, and grows well in full sun or fairly heavy shade. It is a slow growing plant, adding about 3–5 cm of new length each year. It can be propagated from cuttings or seed. For ideal growth, mountain plum-pine should be grown in full sunlight with plenty of water. It works well as an indoor plant placed in a bright window, and is an excellent choice for bonsai or hedging, though growing it for these purposes requires patience.
