Buddhist Pine (Podocarpus macrophylla): Winter indoors

bonsaika

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Hey,
I need your advice on Buddhist Pines. They are often sold as indoor bonsais here, which can be outdoors if warm enough. However, it seems to be recommended to place them at cold place (e.g. 10°C) in winter with lots of light. I am wondering whether it is ok to have them at a normal indoor place (e.g. 22°C) with a grow light instead or whether Buddhist Pines need a cold period comparable to other pines.

Related question: Could one also keep them outdoor when it does not go lower than -5°C?

Best regards!
 
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shinmai

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First, where is’ here’? I gather from your use of Celsius that you are not in the US, but your location and associated conditions will affect all of the advice you’ll get from other forum members.
Second, the Buddhist ‘pine’ is sometimes referred to as ‘Japanese yew’, but it is neither a pine nor a yew. It is a tropical tree, and as such does need a cold period. Like most tropical, it will enter a dormant period, but does not need cold to do that. If I were you, I would bring it indoors when nighttime temperatures get down to 10 C. Broadly speaking, Podocarpus species prefer 16-24 C., and bright indirect light. You’ll know if the light is insufficient if the lower leaves begin to enlarge, losing some of their needle-like character, and start turning yellow. Also, remember they tend to like more acid soil, and a fertilizer that would be appropriate for azaleas or camellias would work well [though I would use it at half-strength.]
Best of luck.
 

Michael P

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Many species of Podocarpus are indeed tropical plants, but P. macrophyllus is cold hardy as a landscape plant in zone 7. But trees in a pot are less cold hardy, so I would protect the the pot and roots at -5C or 23F.
 

shinmai

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God, do I envy someone from zone 9—you know, where they have a real growing season! In 5b, the only thing we can grow with absolute confidence of cold hardiness is icicles.
 

bonsaika

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Thank you for all the good information!

Here is Germany, zone 7b.

I asked because I am looking for a pine-like tree that can grow indoor all year around, so I do not get bored when all the outdoor trees stop growing :)
 

Bonsai Nut

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God, do I envy someone from zone 9—you know, where they have a real growing season! In 5b, the only thing we can grow with absolute confidence of cold hardiness is icicles.
Have to be careful. Some trees NEED cold. In Southern California it was impossible to keep some trees - like Japanese maples and Japanese white pine (on white pine roots). Even trees like Hinoki cypress were questionable. Zone 7b - 8a seems to be much friendlier IMHO.
 

Michael P

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From the Missouri Botanical Garden's entry on the species:
"Where winter hardy, grow as large shrub or screen. Also effective as a specimen or lawn tree. Clip as a hedge. Foundations. Where not winter hardy, it may be grown in containers that must be overwintered in greenhouses or brightly lit corners of the home. Tolerance of low light conditions enables use as a house plant. Plants are sometimes seen growing in low light situations or under sky lights in shopping malls."
 

penumbra

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The only Podocarpus I ever had was kept inside with my tropicals and died at the end of winter. I think it was a type that required some dormancy.
I am not likely to try a Podocarpas again.
 

bonsaika

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Well, that s what I want to find out. Do they need dormancy or not? Does anyone have any information on them? Do they grow all year or just in a single flush like JWPs?
 

penumbra

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What I am understanding from the posts here is that different Podocarpus react in different ways. Hope fully someone more knowledfgable will pipe in here but go back and re-read the posts.
 
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