Podocarpus lawrencei facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Podocarpus lawrencei |
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| Podocarpus lawrencei, Mt Buller | |
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Podocarpus
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| Species: |
lawrencei
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The Podocarpus lawrencei is a special type of tree or shrub. It is often called Errinundra plum-pine or mountain plum-pine. Even though it has "pine" and "plum" in its name, it is not a true pine tree or a plum fruit tree.
This plant grows in the high mountains of Australia. You can find it from southern Tasmania all the way up to the highlands of New South Wales. It likes to grow in windy places, sometimes up to 1,800 meters high. It often looks like a living carpet growing over rocks. This happens because strong winds trim its branches, a process called wind pruning.
Mountain plum-pine trees can live for a very long time, sometimes up to 600 years! Scientists can learn about past weather by looking at the tree's growth rings. Thinner rings can mean there was a lot of snow in that year. This helps us understand how the climate has changed in the Australian Alps over many years.
What it Looks Like
The leaves of the mountain plum-pine are small. They are about 1 centimeter long and 2 to 3 millimeters wide. They are usually green, but they can turn a bit reddish, especially in cold winter weather.
This plant also has small, bright red cones. These cones look like berries. Each cone has a red fleshy part, called an aril, which is about 5 to 10 millimeters long. Inside, there is usually one seed, sometimes two. The seeds are about 6 to 8 millimeters long. Birds and small marsupials like to eat these cones. However, the cones are not safe for most other animals, including humans, to eat.
Usually, the mountain plum-pine grows low to the ground. In the Australian Alps, it rarely gets taller than 1 meter. But in a special place called the Errinundra National Park in eastern Victoria, it can grow much taller, up to 15 meters! Its wood is very rare, so it is not used for making things.
How to Grow It
The mountain plum-pine is a tough plant. It can handle dry weather and can grow new leaves even after losing them all from a drought. It can survive in very cold temperatures, down to -16 °C, and also in hot weather, up to 45 °C. It grows well in full sunlight or in quite a lot of shade.
This plant grows slowly, adding about 3 to 5 centimeters of length each year. You can grow new plants from cuttings or from seeds. When new leaves grow, they are usually a bright lime green. As they get older, they turn a darker olive green.
For the best growth, mountain plum-pine should be in full sunlight and get plenty of water. It can also be a good indoor plant if placed near a bright window. It is a great plant for bonsai (a type of miniature tree art) or for making hedges. However, you need to be patient because it grows slowly.
