What are the common varieties of Buddha pine? With a complete picture gallery
Buddha pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus) is an evergreen coniferous tree of the genus Podocarpus in the family Podocarpaceae. It prefers a warm and humid climate and has weak cold tolerance. In North China it is grown in pots for ornamental purposes, and it is distributed in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui and other places. Below is an introduction to the common types of Buddha pine.
1. Short-leaf Buddha pine
Short-leaf Buddha pine is an evergreen coniferous small tree, a variety of Podocarpus macrophyllus in the genus Podocarpus of the family Podocarpaceae. It often takes a shrubby form. The old trunk is dark brown to blackish brown, with the outer bark splitting longitudinally into strips that flake off. The branch tips are relatively short and soft, grayish green, with poor branching ability. It is native to the mountainous areas of Yunnan, China, and is now mainly grown in pots for ornamental purposes throughout the north and south.
2. Narrow-leaf Buddha pine
Narrow-leaf Buddha pine is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus Podocarpus in the family Podocarpaceae. Its leaves are strap-shaped and slender, usually 5-9 cm long and 3-6 mm wide, tapering at the tip into a long point, with a wedge-shaped base. It is produced in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong and other provinces and regions, and is also distributed in Japan.
3. Column-crown Buddha pine
Column-crown Buddha pine is a plant of the genus Podocarpus in the family Podocarpaceae. Its leaves are relatively small, with a blunt or rounded tip. It is mainly produced in Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan and other places. It prefers a warm, humid and semi-shaded environment, has slightly poor cold tolerance, and fears waterlogging and direct strong light. It requires fertile, well-drained sandy loam.
4. Golden Diamond Buddha pine
Golden Diamond Buddha pine is a seedling variant individual of the Lanyu Buddha pine from Taiwan, China. Its branches are upright and flexible, the leaf spacing is dense, and the leaves also show a small-leaf form. The terminal bud is a beautiful lotus flower center, and the leaf color is golden yellow with a full, rich tone. It is a very rare Buddha pine variety. However, because it is a bud-sport variety, it is prone to variation during propagation, and grafting is generally used to maintain the variety's characteristics.
5. Hainan Buddha pine
Hainan Buddha pine is a plant of the genus Podocarpus in the family Podocarpaceae. It is distributed in Myanmar, Vietnam and Hainan and other places in mainland China. It has a clustered leaf arrangement, and the leaf shape is linear and simple. The closer to the leaf tip, the more pointed it is; the closer to the leaf base, the narrower it is. Both the upper and lower leaf surfaces are smooth and leathery. Only the midrib of the leaf veins is obvious. The leaf color is deep green on the upper side and green on the underside. It has no petiole and no leaf sheath. It produces small yellow-green flowers, which are small and inconspicuous in color. It blooms in spring and is propagated by sowing or cuttings.
6. Small-leaf Buddha pine
Small-leaf Buddha pine is a variety of Buddha pine, taking a small tree or shrub form. Its leaves are short and densely borne. In the growing season it sprouts new shoots, and its tender green new leaves set off among the dense green foliage, making it quite beautiful. It is a top-grade material for making bonsai, and is especially the first choice for making miniature bonsai. It is also an excellent timber for construction and carving. Its seed receptacle is edible. It prefers a shaded and humid environment, often growing scattered in evergreen broad-leaved forests, or in high-mountain dwarf forests, or in rock crevices. It is also distributed in the Philippines and Indonesia.
The above is Tuliu Network's introduction to several common Buddha pine varieties. Buddha pine has high ornamental value and is relatively simple to care for, but to ensure a good tree shape, timely and appropriate pruning is required.