Tōtara
Podocarpus totara
A long-lived forest giant and the great carving timber; birds and people eat the small red fruit stalks.
Hardiness: zones 8 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 80 ft tall, 30 ft wide
Harvest: March to May
From: Aotearoa New Zealand
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: wildlife, food.
Native to: Aotearoa New Zealand. Hardy in zones 8 to 11.
The story
Tōtara can live for a thousand years. Its straight, rot-proof heartwood was the chosen timber for the great voyaging and war canoes, and for carving, and a fallen tōtara is still a figure of speech for the loss of a leader.
Planting
Sun and deep, well-drained soil with room for a very large tree. Young plants take light frost.
Growing
Slow at first, then steady. It clips well and makes a dense hedge where a forest tree will not fit.
Harvest and use
On female trees the small seed sits on a swollen red stalk in autumn; the stalk is sweet and edible, a nibble for birds and people.
What to watch for
Only female trees fruit. Wet, heavy soil holds it back.
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home