can you do better on that first pic ... its like an inch big ...

look for an html code at your pix site .. and paste it where you type ... on preview.. if you see it.. we will see it ...

ken

Ken,

Sure. the current plant I have looked like this:

http://www.morningdewtropical.com/fb/10091275181982_b.jpg

But I want to know if it's possible to train it to become a tree form like this:

http://www.morningdewtropical.com/fb/41391254329879_b.jpg

Thanks.

I did an image search for P. gracilior and found lots of photos of them limbed up as standards or 'tree form'. So no doubt it can be done.

Just select a sturdy trunk and begin removing lower limbs gradually over time. It may take 5 years or more to get it looking the way you want, but that's part of the fun! If new growth is wispy and/or you are in a high wind region (Calif. Santa Anas?), it may need loose staking and training for a while.

I'm not in your zone and don't grow it so can't comment on how long this would take, but I love the look of it and it seems to me the time involved would be worth it!

This post was edited by dave_in_nova on Mon, Sep 8, 14 at 10:59

Your tree will end up tree shaped like the 2nd photo, yes. What you have is just a baby tree.

Hope you have room. Keep it well away from pavement and the foundation of your home. This is one of the most beautiful trees I can think of, but they eventually get huge. Another Podocarpus that is perhaps even more gorgeous but less common is P. latifolius

I just looked it up in Sunset, They say P gracillior grows 20'-60' x 10'-20'. They mention that it grows well (if slowly) in most soils but may get chlorosis if the soil is alkaline or heavy.

To keep it to 20' you would probably need an arborist to keep it smaller as most of us don't have ladders that tall.

This is a great tree to grow but it does have a heavy leaf drop in the summer as it's evergreen. I liked to maintain this tree as a landscaper because of it's ease of maintenance.