Dacrydium, from shrubs to majestic conifers

Dacrydiums are special plants that can beautify your garden. They need specific care, but the effort pays off. If you follow the right steps, you can enjoy their beauty for years.


Dacrydium, or red pine, is a unique plant group in the Podocarpaceae family. It includes shrubs and large evergreen trees.

Dacrydium has many different species, like the cypress dacrydium. These plants are evergreen and can grow up to 35 meters tall. Their trunks can be 150-200 cm thick.

Young trees have a pyramid-shaped crown. Older trees have a rounded crown at the top. Young branches are thin and hang down. Adult trees have fewer, weeping branches.

The plant has edible fruits. Local people, like the Maori in New Zealand, used to eat them.

Dacrydium grows in places like New Zealand, Fiji, Malaysia, and southern China. They grow well in tropical areas, in forests on mountains and lowlands, and in subalpine areas. They do not grow naturally in Russia.