Podocarpus Macrophyllus Plant – Podocarpus macrophyllus (Yew Pine / Buddhist Pine, Live Starter Shrub)

The Podocarpus Macrophyllus (Podocarpus macrophyllus), also known as yew pine, Buddhist pine, or Japanese yew, is one of the most versatile and elegant evergreens for screening and formal plantings. This upright, oval shrub or small tree has needle-like, flat dark green leaves and a dense, lustrous, naturally narrow habit — reaching about 15–20 feet tall and 6–8 feet wide. Because it takes so well to shearing, the Podocarpus Macrophyllus is a favorite for hedges, screens, topiary, accents, and garden or patio trees.

Why Grow a Podocarpus Macrophyllus?

• Extremely versatile – works as a privacy screen, hedge, accent, topiary, espalier, or container and patio tree.
• Clean, formal look – dense, narrow, upright growth and soft dark green foliage give a tidy, refined appearance year-round.
• Takes shearing beautifully – adapts to pruning and shaping, so you can keep it as a crisp formal hedge or sculpted topiary.
• Tough & low-maintenance – salt- and drought-tolerant once established, deer-resistant, and largely pest- and disease-free.
• Evergreen structure – fragrant-when-crushed foliage and a permanent green backbone for the landscape.

Looking for more evergreen screening options? Browse our Shrubs & Bushes and Outdoor Plants collections.

Plant Specifications at a Glance

• Botanical name: Podocarpus macrophyllus (yew pine, Buddhist pine, Japanese yew, southern yew, yew plum pine)
• Plant type: Evergreen conifer shrub or small tree (a broadleaf-looking gymnosperm, not a true pine or yew)
• Plant family: Podocarpaceae
• Mature size: about 15–20 feet tall and 6–8 feet wide (slow-growing; can reach tree size over many years)
• Foliage: Needle-like, flat, dark green leaves; fragrant when crushed
• Notable traits: Salt-tolerant, drought-tolerant (once established), deer-resistant, shear-tolerant
• Cold Hardiness Zones: 7–11 (give it protection in the colder end of the range)

Podocarpus Macrophyllus Care & Growing Guide

The Podocarpus Macrophyllus is low-maintenance and adaptable. Follow these simple guidelines:

• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade. It even tolerates fairly shady spots, though brighter light brings denser growth.
• Water: Water regularly to establish a strong root system, with more frequent watering in extreme heat. Once mature, it needs only occasional watering and is drought-tolerant. It dislikes soggy, wet soils.
• Soil: Adaptable to most soils; prefers rich, slightly acidic, well-drained soil. It may show some leaf yellowing (chlorosis) in very alkaline soils.
• Cold Hardiness Zone: 7–11. In the colder end of its range, plant in a sheltered spot or grow in a container that can be protected from hard freezes.
• Pruning & mulch: Pruning isn’t required, but it shears easily — trim annually to maintain your desired hedge or topiary shape. Mulch to retain moisture, deter weeds, and moderate winter temperatures.

Good to know: while the fleshy, ripe fruit is edible, the round seeds are poisonous if eaten and can cause vomiting or diarrhea. It’s best kept away from small children and pets (the seeds are considered toxic to dogs, cats, and horses).

Ways to Use Podocarpus Macrophyllus in the Landscape

• Formal or informal privacy screens and hedges
• Topiary and sculpted specimens (it shears beautifully)
• Upright accent or specimen plant in tight spaces
• Garden, patio, or container tree
• Espalier against walls and fences

It pairs well with other dense evergreen shrubs for layered screening. Gardeners often combine it with the fast-growing Wax Myrtle, the privet-like Sinense Ligustrum, or the native Viburnum Densa for a varied living fence.

What You’ll Receive

These are live Podocarpus Macrophyllus starter plants grown and shipped by Carlos Plant Farm. Plants are less than 12 inches tall when we ship them. The listing photos depict mature plants of the correct species, not the size we ship, so you can see how they will look as they grow. Choose your preferred plant bundle size using the options above. Once USPS takes possession of the plant, we are no longer responsible for its condition.

Due to different state laws, we reserve the right to charge extra fees in order to comply with those laws if necessary.

Terms of the Sale

Please read the following terms of the sale completely. The customer agrees to all of the following when purchasing from Carlo’s Plant Farm:

• All sales are final. All orders are insured against damage or loss.
• The customer assumes all risk of loss or damage once USPS takes possession. If the order is damaged in any way during shipping, the customer agrees to file an insurance claim. Carlo’s Plant Farm agrees to assist the customer in filling out the form.
• Once your order is shipped, we offer no cancellation refund at all.
• We reserve the right to delay shipping due to extreme heat or cold.
• If you are unhappy with your order for any reason, you agree to contact us as soon as possible. The customer agrees not to publish a negative review before contacting us. If you post a negative review before contacting us, we will ask you to take down the review and remind you of this terms of sale agreement.

In purchasing from Carlo’s Plant Farm, the customer acknowledges, understands, and agrees with all the above terms of the sale.