Brown Pine

Podocarpus elatus

This large, fast-growing conifer occurs in dense rainforests from southern New South Wales to eastern Queensland and also on Cape York Peninsula. It is distinguished by the brown, fibrous-fissured bark and the dense crown of narrow sharp-pointed leaves.

The leaves are 5 to 15cm long, dark green above and lighter green below.

Unlike other conifers, the Brown Pine doesn’t have cones. It has a single berry-like fruit, dark blue-purple in colour, attached by a fleshy stem.

The tree reaches maturity in 8 to 10 years.

The timber is brown, strong and very durable and used for boat building, furniture and musical instruments.

How high can I grow? Up to 30m.