Species · genus Podocarpus · Podocarpaceae

Henkel's Yellowwood

Podocarpus henkelii Stapf ex Dallim. & A.B.Jacks.

Also known as: Falcate Yellowwood · Fern-pine · Henkel's Podo · Drooping-Leaf Yellowwood · Drooping-leaved Yellowwood

Growth habit

tree

Native range

Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe

Podocarpus henkelii — reference photo — Abu Shawka · CC0

Cultivars of P. henkelii

The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.

No named cultivars catalogued under P. henkelii yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.

Guide

The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.

A Southern African Conifer

Podocarpus henkelii, known as the falcate yellow-wood, is an evergreen conifer that can grow as a compact, tall shrub or a small tree. It is valued for its long, narrow, drooping foliage rather than any flower or fruit display.

Source: RHS

Native Range and Naming

This species belongs to the family Podocarpaceae and was first published in 1923. Its native range runs from Tanzania and Malawi south through Zimbabwe to Cape Province and KwaZulu-Natal, where it grows chiefly in subtropical conditions.

Source: Kew

Sun, Shelter and Steady Soil

Give this plant full sun and a sheltered spot, protected from cool, drying winds. It grows well in moist but well-drained, or simply well-drained, soil across a wide range of types including chalk, clay, loam and sand, and tolerates acid, alkaline or neutral pH. In milder gardens it settles in comfortably, taking something like ten to twenty years to reach its mature size.

Source: RHS

Semi-Ripe Cuttings

Propagate the falcate yellow-wood by taking semi-ripe cuttings in late summer.

Source: RHS

Willow-Like Drooping Foliage

The falcate yellow-wood carries long, narrow, glossy dark green leaves that hang in a willow-like, pendulous fashion, giving the whole plant a weeping habit. It has a long trunk and a bushy overall form, reaching around 6 metres in height at maturity.

Source: RHS

Largely Trouble-Free

This is generally a pest-free and disease-free plant, with no particular vulnerabilities noted.

Source: RHS

Minimal Pruning Needed

No routine pruning is required for this species. It suits city and courtyard gardens, cottage plantings, patios and containers, and works well as a low-maintenance choice in borders and beds.

Source: RHS

Care recipe

The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.

Care notes are early — not yet verified

Light: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Water: ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 7-12d)
Humidity: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Soil: ai:claude-fable-5
Care: ai:claude-fable-5

Light

Bright, indirect

Water

≈ every 12 days

Humidity

Medium

Temperature

10–24 °C

Soil mix

Well-draining loamy mix with added grit or perlite

Propagation

Semi-hardwood cuttings, slow to root; or fresh seed

Fertilizing

Balanced liquid feed monthly through spring and summer

Growth rate

Slow

Flowering

Rarely flowers indoors

ToxicityAuthoritative · species

Not yet documented

This is where toxicity lives — every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.

Reference images

Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.

Sources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 7-12d) · ai:claude-fable-5

Kept true by its growers

Every fact here carries its source. Grow Henkel's Yellowwood yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — and a clear photo of your plant are exactly what keep this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.