Where is the latest distribution of Podocarpus macrophyllus
Podocarpus macrophyllus, also known as Luohanshan, Evergreen Luohanshan, Tushan, Money Pine, etc., is an evergreen coniferous tree of the genus Podocarpus in the family Podocarpaceae. Its crown is broadly ovate, and its bark is grayish-brown to dark gray. Its wood is fine and uniform, easy to process, and can be used for furniture, utensils, stationery, and farm tools. Its fruit, root bark, and leaves have medicinal value. Now let us take a look at where Podocarpus macrophyllus is produced!
Where is Podocarpus macrophyllus produced?
Podocarpus macrophyllus is native to China, but due to historical reasons, there are very few large Podocarpus macrophyllus trees old enough, and the number of large-sized Podocarpus macrophyllus landscaping seedlings is also extremely limited. It is cultivated as an ornamental tree in courtyards in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, and other places. Wild trees are very rare. It is also distributed in Japan.
The production environment of Podocarpus macrophyllus
Podocarpus macrophyllus prefers a warm and humid climate and has weak cold resistance. In North China, it is often grown in pots for ornamental purposes. It has strong shade tolerance and prefers well-drained, moist sandy loam. It has strong adaptability to soil and can also survive on saline-alkali soil. It has strong resistance to various polluting gases such as sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and nitrogen oxides, and strong resistance to pests and diseases. It is commonly propagated by sowing and cuttings.
Cultivated varieties of Podocarpus macrophyllus
1. Taiwan Podocarpus: Taiwan Podocarpus is an evergreen small tree with alternate leaves, linear-oblanceolate, rounded-obtuse at the apex, and revolute leaf margins. Flowers are axillary. Male cones are solitary, cylindrical, and sessile. Female cones are solitary. The seed is drupe-like, elliptical, dark blue when mature, and the seed receptacle is fleshy and red when mature. It is produced along the coast of Lanyu Island, Taiwan, China, and is also distributed in the Philippines. It likes high temperature, humidity, and a sunny environment. It has good salt tolerance and resistance to strong winds, but poor drought tolerance, and its cold tolerance and shade tolerance are both poor. It can be used for coastal windbreak belts, hedges, courtyard beautification, potted plants, etc.
2. Japanese Podocarpus: The bark of Japanese Podocarpus is dark gray and splits into scales. The branches and leaves are dense. The leaves are spirally arranged, linear-lanceolate, 7-10 cm long and 5-8 mm wide, gradually pointed or obtusely pointed at the tip, wedge-shaped at the base, with short petioles. The midrib is clearly raised on both sides. Male cones are spicate, often 3-5 clustered in leaf axils. Female cones are solitary in leaf axils and stalked. Seeds are ovate, less than 1 cm in diameter, purple or purplish-red when mature, covered with white powder, and borne on a thick fleshy seed receptacle. The seed receptacle is red or purplish-red and stalked.
3. Que She Podocarpus: Que She Podocarpus is an excellent tree species that is precious, easy to shape, and easy to manage. The leaves are about 1.8-2 cm long and about 0.4 cm wide. The spring growth tip is obtusely ovate, the leaf tip is not pointed, and the middle vein is prominent, like a bird's tongue, with a fleshy texture. Common types include Zhejiang Que She and Nantong Que She. Generally, Nantong Que She is considered the authentic type. If the summer and autumn shoots are pinched off after autumn each year, the branches and leaves appear dense, the leaves stand upright, and the internodes are short, making it very beautiful and neat. Old potted plants often form strange roots, which look very attractive when lifted. The cross-section of the old trunk of many years in pots is often not round, which is also one of its characteristics. The characteristic of Zhejiang Que She is that the leaves are more spreading, the tip is more pointed, and the texture is thinner.