Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine

Name: Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine
Brand: Evergreen Trees Direct
Price: 260.00 AUD
Availability: InStock

$260.00

Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

1000 in stock

Size: 40cm/45L

40cm/45L

Current Stock Height Guides

40cm/45L: 1.3m – 1.8m Approx.

Trade Customers

We supply advanced trees to landscapers, developers, architects, and councils Australia-wide. Trade clients receive fast quotes, expert advice, and access to premium stock with reliable freight.

About Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine

Podocarpus elatus, commonly known as Brown Pine or Plum Pine, is a large, evergreen Australian native tree valued for its dense foliage and long life. It develops a tall, straight trunk with dark, rough bark and a broad crown. The leaves are glossy, narrow, and dark green, held in neat arrangements along spreading branches. In spring, small flowers appear, followed by fleshy purple-black fruits that resemble plums and are attractive to birds and other wildlife. Mature specimens can reach 20–30 metres in height with a spread of 6–10 metres in ideal conditions.

This species has a slow to moderate growth rate and is highly adaptable to a variety of soils, provided drainage is good. Podocarpus elatus is hardy, evergreen, frost tolerant once established, and performs well in both coastal and inland gardens. It is low-maintenance, requiring little pruning, and provides year-round structure and shade.

They look excellent when used as feature trees in large gardens, planted in avenues for formal landscapes, or included in civic plantings and parks. They also provide significant habitat value and make long-lived shade trees in native garden designs.

Key Information to Know

Evergreen / Deciduous

Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine is an Evergreen (foliage year round) Tree

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 8–12 m

Mature Width: 4–6 m

Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine is expected to grow 0.5–1 m per year.

Frost Tolerance

Is Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine frost tolerant?

Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine is Frost Tolerant – Can handle light to moderate frost once established.

Flowering Information

Podocarpus elatus produces very small, inconspicuous male and female cones in spring. While not ornamental, these structures mature into fleshy purple-blue fruits that resemble plums, adding a subtle seasonal feature among the glossy dark green foliage.

Native Information

Is Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine an Australian Native? Yes

Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine is Native to Native to eastern Australia, from southern New South Wales through Queensland rainforests.

Wildlife Value

Its fruit is highly attractive to fruit-eating birds such as figbirds and currawongs, while the dense, layered foliage provides excellent shelter, nesting habitat and protection for small birds. The tree’s evergreen structure also supports insects and microfauna, making it a strong ecological contributor in native and suburban plantings.

Sunlight Information

Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine will thrive best in:

Full Sun
Part Shade

Preffered Soil

Podocarpus elatus performs best in moist, well-drained loam or sandy loam soils and prefers slightly acidic to neutral conditions. It may struggle in heavy clay or poorly drained positions unless improved with organic matter and coarse material to enhance aeration and drainage. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment, then move to deep, occasional watering as the tree matures to support healthy evergreen growth, strong root development and reliable fruiting.

Botanical Information

Common Name: Brown Pine / Plum Pine

Genus: Podocarpus

Botanical Species: Podocarpus elatus

Family: Podocarpaceae

Botanical Name: Podocarpus elatus

Landscape Uses

Feature Tree
Shade Tree
Avenue Planting
Council or Civic Landscapes

Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine works in an:

Australian Native Garden – celebrates local plants with natural character.
Formal Garden – structured, symmetrical design with clipped shapes.
Modern Garden – sleek, minimal, and design-led planting.
Edible Garden – integrates fruit, herbs, and productive plants.

Planting, Spacing & Care

Choose a sunny to partly shaded position with free-draining soil.
Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball.
Backfill with soil enriched with organic compost.
Water thoroughly after planting and mulch to conserve moisture.
Stake young trees to encourage upright growth in exposed areas.

Feature Planting: Space 6 – 8 m apart
Shade Canopy: Space 8 – 10 m apart
Avenue Planting: Space 8 – 10 m apart

Water regularly during establishment; reduce as it matures.
Fertilise annually with a slow-release native fertiliser.
Prune only if needed to maintain structure or remove damaged growth.

Sandy soils: Performs well if watered regularly until established.
Loamy soils: Ideal growth with fertile, well-drained soil.
Clay soils: Tolerates light clay provided drainage is adequate.
Coastal soils: Adaptable to sheltered coastal conditions.
Poor soils: Benefits from compost and slow-release fertiliser for improved growth.

Podocarpus elatus – Brown Pine / Plum Pine is expected to grow 0.5–1 m per year.

Medium Growth Rate

Root Ball Dimensions (Width × Depth) For Planting

Use this as a reference when digging your planting hole. We recommend digging at least 10% wider than the dimensions below to encourage strong root development.

30cm Pot: 33cm (W) × 30cm (D)
40cm/45L Pot: 44cm (W) × 41.5cm (D)
50cm Pot / 70L Pot: 55cm (W) × 41.8cm (D)
100L Bag: 50.6cm (W) × 52.8cm (D)
150L Bag: 66cm (W) × 55cm (D)
200L Bag: 71.5cm (W) × 60.5cm (D)
300L Bag: 88cm (W) × 63.8cm (D)
400L Bag: 99cm (W) × 66cm (D)
500L Bag: 122cm (W) × 66cm (D)
750L Bag: 134cm (W) × 69cm (D)
1000L Bag: 146.3cm (W) × 71.5cm (D)
2000L Bag: 176cm (W) × 82.5cm (D)

Ideal Conditions

Tropical QLD (Cairns, Townsville)
Subtropical QLD (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast)
Inland NSW / Tablelands (Orange, Bathurst, Canberra)
Sydney & Central Coast
South Coast NSW (Illawarra to Bega)
Melbourne & Surrounds (Metro, Bayside, Geelong, Bellarine, Mornington)

Thrives in

Full Sun
Part Shade

Frost Tolerance

Frost Tolerant – Can handle light to moderate frost once established.

Drought Tolerance

As a young tree it requires consistent watering, but once established Brown Pine develops moderate drought tolerance. It performs best in moist, well-drained soils but will cope with occasional dry periods when supported by deep, infrequent watering, maintaining dense evergreen growth even in warm climates.