Podocarpus elatus

Location & distribution maps

Plant description

Common name:        Plum Pine

• Also,  the brown pine or the Illawarra plum

Conservation status: . . .

Etymology:   

• The name comes from Greek πούς (poús, "foot") + καρπός (karpós, "fruit")

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Cones and seed:                                                  

• The seed cones are dark blue-purple, berry-like, with a fleshy base 2-2.5 cm diameter

•  They bear a single oval or globose seed 1 cm in diameter

Leaves:         

• The leaves are lanceolate, 5–15 cm long (to 25 cm long on vigorous young trees) and 6–18 mm broad

Stem & branches: 

•  A trunk of up to 1.5 m diameter

Roots:         

Habit:        

• It is a medium to large evergreen tree growing to 30–36 m tall 

Habitat:   

Distribution:                  

•  Endemic to the east coast of Australia, in eastern NSW and eastern Queensland

Additional notes:     

• Uses

  • The fleshy part of the seed cone is edible, used in condiments

  • The timber was prized for furniture, joinery, boat planking, lining and piles in salt water

  • Podocarpus elatus is an attractive ornamental tree

  • In older Australian suburbs, the plum pine is used as an ornamental street tree, such as at Baldry Street, Chatswood

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podocarpus_elatus   (2023)