How to Grow Totara
Podocarpus totara
Totara is a majestic, slow-growing New Zealand native conifer with distinctive bronze-green needle-like leaves and fibrous, stringy reddish-brown bark. A very long-lived tree — specimens over 1,000 years old exist in New Zealand. In gardens it is valued as a stately specimen, screen, or trimmed hedge. Plant in full sun to part shade in well-drained fertile soil; water regularly until established then it is fairly drought tolerant. Slow to establish but long-lived. Culturally significant to Māori as a taonga (treasure) species. The genus Podocarpus is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to pets.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Native plant fertiliser at planting. Minimal feeding thereafter; mulch with compost annually.
Watch For
- Scale insects
- Mealybugs
- Phytophthora root rot in poorly drained soils
Companions
Cabbage Tree (Cordyline), Flax (Phormium), Tree Ferns (Dicksonia), Griselinia
Pet Safety
Care Requirements
Light
Full sun to part shade
Grows best in full sun. Tolerates partial shade, especially when young. Good light levels promote denser, more vigorous growth.
Watering
Regular when young; drought tolerant once established
Water regularly for the first 2-3 years after planting. Once established, fairly drought tolerant. Water every 2-3 weeks in prolonged dry spells. Ensure good drainage — susceptible to root rot in waterlogged soil.
Fertilizing
Minimal; native plant fertiliser at planting
Apply a native plant fertiliser at planting. Once established, annual mulching with compost provides sufficient nutrients. Avoid high-nitrogen feeds.
Pruning
Minimal as specimen; clip regularly as hedge
As a free-growing specimen, pruning is minimal — remove dead or damaged branches as needed. As a hedge or screen, clip in late spring and again in late summer to maintain shape.
Spacing
4-6 m as specimen; 2 m for hedging
Allow 4-6 m between garden specimens to accommodate the mature spread. For hedging, plant 1.5-2 m apart and clip regularly to control size.
Mulching
Annual compost mulch to conserve moisture
Apply a 5-7 cm layer of compost or bark chips over the root zone in spring. Keep mulch away from the trunk. Particularly important for young trees.
Growing Tips
Very slow growing — plan for the long term
Totara grows only 10-50 cm per year. It is a tree for patient gardeners and future generations. In garden settings, regular pruning keeps it manageable.
Excellent hedge or screen
Responds well to clipping and can be maintained as a formal hedge or screen. Clip in late spring or early summer. Its dense, evergreen foliage makes an impenetrable windbreak.
Birds love the fruit
Female trees produce small, fleshy red receptacles (the seed sits on top) in autumn that are attractive to native birds such as kererū (NZ pigeon).
Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 600 cm |
| Row spacing | 600 cm |
| Mature height | 2000 cm |
| Mature spread | 800 cm |
Slow-growing but ultimately a large tree to 20-30 m. Space 4-6 m for garden specimens; 2 m for hedging. Prune regularly to control size as a hedge.
