Podocarpus nivalis
Hook.
Tauhinu, Snow totara
(c) Jon Sullivan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Mio Pelletier, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Gathadair, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Gathadair
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit stalk
The fruit is edible raw or cooked, with a sweet and pleasant taste. It measures about 7mm in length.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
It is a temperate plant. Arboretum Tasmania.
Australia, Britain, Europe, Japan, New Zealand*, Tasmania,
How to Identify
Podocarpus nivalis is a compact evergreen shrub reaching 3 m tall and 5 m wide at a medium growth rate. Hardy to UK zone 7, it maintains foliage year-round with seeds maturing in October. The species is dioecious, requiring both male and female plants for seed production, and relies on wind pollination. It grows in light sandy, medium loamy, or heavy clay soils with good drainage, tolerating mildly acidic to neutral pH. The plant adapts to semi-shaded woodland conditions or full sun and prefers consistently moist soil. Its sprawling branching habit enables use as tall groundcover.
How to Grow
Prefers a rich moist non-alkaline soil. Shade tolerant, at least when young. This species is hardy to about -25°c, though the plants grow best in mild winter areas with plenty of rainfall and high humidity. They often fruit freely in Britain. A very ornamental plant, it is very tolerant of trimming. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Propagation: Seed can be sown at any time of year in sandy soil in a warm greenhouse, though sowing as soon as it is ripe is ideal. Prick seedlings into individual pots once large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out into permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe terminal shoots, 5–10cm long, can be taken in July or August and rooted in a frame.
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Other Uses
This plant has a sprawling habit with branches that root as they spread, making it suitable for use as a tall ground cover. Plants are best spaced approximately 1.2 metres apart.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Podocarpus nivalis, the mountain or snow tōtara, is a species of conifer in the family Podocarpaceae. It is endemic to New Zealand.
References (3)
- Abdillahi, H. S., 2009, Ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Podocarpus sensu latissimo (s.l.). South African Journal of Botany 76 (2010) 1–24
- Crowe, A., 1997, A Field Guide to the Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Penguin. p 60
- Icon. Pl. 6: t. 582. 1843
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