Plant Care Fern Pine

Fern Pine

4.3 out of 5 (7 experiences)

Fern Pine has a Survivor plant personality Survivor
Fern Pine has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves

Also known as

Podocarpus Plant, Podocarpus Plant, Buddist Pine and Chinese Yew

Taxonomy

Podocarpus macrophyllus
Podocarpus
Podocarpaceae
Pinales

How to care for Fern Pine

šŸ’¦ Water

How often to water your Fern Pine

Water needs for Fern Pine
0.5 cups
every 9

Fern Pine needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesnā€™t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Fern Pine

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
ā˜€ļø Light

Finding light for Podocarpus Plant in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Fern Pine: 3ft from a window
3ft or less from
a window

Fern Pine may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves šŸƒ, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Fern Pine in your home šŸ”.

šŸŖ“ Nutrients

How to fertilize Fern Pine

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Fern Pine: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil itā€™s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Fern Pine after it doubles in size or once a yearā€”whichever comes first.

šŸ’” FAQs
ā­ Difficulty Level
šŸ’¦ Water Needs

Fern Pine prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Podocarpus Plant Water Frequency →

Podocarpus Plant Root Rot →


ā˜€ļø Sunlight Needs

Fern Pine may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves šŸƒ without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home šŸ”.

Podocarpus Plant Light Requirements →

Podocarpus Plant Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


šŸ¶ šŸˆ šŸ‘¶ Toxicity

Fern Pine is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Is Podocarpus Plant Edible? →

Podocarpus Plant Toxicity to Cats →

Podocarpus Plant Toxicity to Dogs →

Podocarpus Plant Toxicity to Humans →


šŸŖ“ Soil

Fern Pine does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Podocarpus Plant →

Best Pots for Podocarpus Plant →

When and How to Successfully Repot Podocarpus Plant →

What Are Healthy Podocarpus Plant Roots →


šŸ’© Fertilizer

Fern Pine grows very slowly and doesnā€™t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plantā€™s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Podocarpus Plant →


ā¬†ļø ā¬‡ļø Growth Pattern

Fern Pine grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Podocarpus Plant Lifecycle →

Podocarpus Plant Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Podocarpus Plant →


šŸŒ¦ļø Growing Outdoors
šŸŒ± Propagation

Fern Pine can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

  • Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
  • To get the cutting to root, you can either:
    • Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2ā€ long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
    • Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

How to Propagate Podocarpus Plant →


šŸ‚ Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves arenā€™t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plantā€™s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, itā€™s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Fern Pine, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


šŸ§ Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Fern Pine

Fern Pine

Fern Pine


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4ā€ pot your plant is in, and that it doesnā€™t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Fern Pine has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 4
Fern Pine has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 3
Fern Pine has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 3
@Smed.one.22 avatar
@@Smed.one.22
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 110 XP
globe Abbotsford, British Columbia
06/06/2021

Dont over water he holds his water like a camel

Survivor Survivor
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@florabelle avatar
@@florabelle
leaf-1 7 Plants
xp 160 XP
05/31/2021

Iā€™ve never heard of these before but it was worth trying one!! Beautiful little plant, & seems quite hearty! Doesnā€™t seem too fussed about watering

@NatashasLittleOasis avatar
@@NatashasLittleOasis
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 59 XP
05/29/2021

A lovely little plant with great healthy lush green leaves. Grows pretty quickly and tolerant if it misses a water or two! A sweet little plant.

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@emily123ac avatar
@@emily123ac
leaf-1 7 Plants
xp 116 XP
globe Hanover, MD
05/07/2021

will grow to whatever size pot you have , can get a little bigger, easy to take care of and hard to kill!

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor

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