Podocarpus totara Aurea

Common Name: Golden Totara

Description:
Podocarpus totara 'Aurea', commonly known as Golden Totara, is a striking evergreen conifer native to New Zealand, valued for its golden-yellow foliage. This slow-growing tree has a dense, pyramidal habit when young, maturing into a broad, spreading form. Its soft, needle-like leaves maintain their golden hue year-round, intensifying in full sun. Highly adaptable, it thrives in well-drained soils and tolerates frost, wind, and coastal conditions. Ideal as a feature tree, for hedging, or screening, Golden Totara provides year-round colour and structure to Melbourne gardens while requiring minimal maintenance.

Form:

• Tree - Medium
• Suitable for Hedging

Mature Size:

• Height: 8–12 m
• Width: 4–6 m

Aspect:

• Full Sun
• Part Shade

Flowering:

• Does not flower (produces small seed cones)

Flower Colour:

• N/A

Key Attributes:

• Suitable for Hedging
• Suitable for Screening
• Drought Tolerant (once established)
• Cold Hardy
• Wind Tolerant
• Coastal Tolerant
• Low Maintenance
• Year-round Colour Interest

Toxicity:

• Non-toxic to humans
• Non-toxic to pets

Companion Plants:

• Phormium tenax (New Zealand Flax)
• Corokia cotoneaster (Wire Netting Bush)
• Olearia paniculata (Golden Akeake)
• Leptospermum scoparium (Manuka)
• Pittosporum tenuifolium (Kohuhu)