Podocarpus elatus aka Brown Pine

Podocarpus elatus is an evergreen tree. It belongs to the Podocarpaceae family. Its names include brown pine and Australian plum. People also call it Rockingham podocarp. It comes from north and east Australia. Sources list Queensland and New South Wales as its range. Useful Tropical Plants lists Victoria too. It grows in coastal scrub and several kinds of rainforest. These include woods by rivers and near the sea. It grows in drier rainforest too, though it prefers humid sites.

The tree grows fast, with a dense, dark-green crown. Sources give its height as about 98 feet [30 metres]. Useful Tropical Plants reports heights of 131 feet [40 metres]. The trunk can reach about 3 feet [0.9 metres] across. It often has an uneven shape, most so near its base. The tree keeps its leaves all year. It forms part of the canopy in woodland gardens. People plant it in parks and along streets too. Some full-grown trees still stand as landscape features on cleared farmland.

Male and female flowers grow on separate trees. Wind moves the pollen from one to the other. Trees of both sexes must grow nearby to set seed. A fleshy stalk holds one seed, rather than a typical cone. The fruit-like part is edible and about one inch across. It tastes sweet and has a resin-like flavour. Its texture is thick. People eat it raw or make jelly with it. PFAF says the seeds ripen in October. PFAF and Useful Tropical Plants both describe this species as non-poisonous.

Give it rich, moist soil that drains well. It accepts sand, loam and clay. It does best in mildly acid or neutral soil. It grows in full sun or light woodland shade. It likes humid sites and stands up to salt spray. PFAF lists it for USDA zones 9–11. Australian garden reports note survival down to 19°F [−7°C]. This does not mean it will withstand equal cold in Britain. Cooler summers and longer, wetter winters limit its use there. PFAF suggests woodland gardens with shelter in Britain's milder areas.

Its tough wood lasts well and feels smooth and silky. People use it for cabinets, indoor woodwork and boats. Useful Tropical Plants reports small-scale harvest of the wood for sale. Forest reserves now protect much of the tree's habitat. The same source cites a 2011 assessment of Least Concern. It says past declines have mostly stopped where trees remain.