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Podocarpus drouynianus
Also called Emu Bush, Emu Plum
Emu berry is a slow-growing, dioecious conifer shrub native to south-west Western Australia, usually forming clumps of several stems rather than a single trunk. It is grown for its attractive needle foliage, and it tolerates drier conditions than most podocarps.
Podocarpus drouynianus, the emu berry, wild plum or native plum, is a species of conifer in the family Podocarpaceae. It is native to the relatively high rainfall southwestern corner of Western Australia. The Noongar name for the plant is koolah.
Ideally Podocarpus drouynianus should be grown in partial shade with plenty of water. Unusually for the genus, it tolerates quite dry conditions. It survives temperatures of up to 45 °C, and grows well in full sun or partial shade.
The plant grows as a rounded form in cultivation, slowly attaining two metres in height and 1.5 metres in width. Propagation from cuttings in the usual method of planting. The presentation of its red and fleshy fruit is unreliable, but the plant is favoured for its appealing foliage. The long and leafy stems are harvested for use in the florist industry.
It grows on lower slopes and low-lying areas and around creeks in the South West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia where it grows in loamy, sandy or gravelly soils. It is associated as part of the understorey species present in lowland jarrah and karri and it spreads mostly by root suckering. The extent of occurrence of the species is less than 20,000 square kilometres (7,722 sq mi) over multiple locations. The total area of occupancy by P. drouynianus has reduced as a result of clearing of forest for pasture and the replacement of native forest with exotics.
Neblina Podocarp · Needle-leaved Totara · Podocarpus affinis · Podocarpus angustifolius · Podocarpus annamiensis · Podocarpus aracensis · Podocarpus archboldii · Podocarpus aristulatus · Podocarpus atjehensis · Podocarpus borneensis · Podocarpus bracteatus · Podocarpus brasiliensis
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Podocarpus drouynianus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
