Practical
Plants

Phyllocladus aspleniifolius

Celery Top Pine

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Phyllocladus genus in the family Podocarpaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
10 m
Spread
5 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Wood - fairly heavy, durable in the soil, works well. Used for flooring, boat building, cabinet making. It is fairly resistant to some acids and has very little expansion or contraction due to moisture changes[3].

Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
Australia - Tasmania.
Habitat
Rainforests and lighter Eucalyptus forests in rich humid situations[2][3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow late winter in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings in a sandy soil in a cool or slightly warm frame in spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a good loamy soil containing leaf mold[1]. Succeeds in a good open soil but if it is to thrive it needs copious rainfall, high humidity and warmer conditions than are normally found in Britain[2][5]. Plants are hardy to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[4], though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer colder and wetter winters. They might succeed outdoors in the milder areas of Britain but are very slow growing in cultivation[6].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-00-216441-8

    ↩1↩2

  4. Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988-00-00 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0

    ↩

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  6. Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X

    ↩

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