Plum-fruited yew, Chilean plum yew
Prumnopitys andina

Family: Podocarpaceae

What it is like

A small bushy tree. It grows 15 -18 m high and spreads 6 m wide. The bark is smooth and dark brown. It becomes grey when old. The crown is broad. The branches often arch over. The leaves are arranged in spirals. They are bright green above and paler underneath. The leaves are needles which are blunt tipped. They are 2.5 cm long. They are bright green on top and have 2 white bands underneath. The male and female flowers are on separate trees. The male flowers are yellow and in clusters. The female flowers are slender and green. The fruit are round and fleshy. They grow in clusters of 2-6. They are green with white flecks. The fruit turns yellow when ripe. They are edible.

Where it is found

It is a warm temperate plant. It grows naturally in the high Andes mountains. In Chile it grows between 500-2,000 m altitude. It is best in humid areas with constant rainfall but can tolerate some dry periods. It can grow in light shade. It suits hardiness zones 8-10. It can tolerate some frost and snow. Arboretum Tasmania. Hobart Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andes, Argentina, Australia, Britain, Chile (country/location of origin), Europe, New Zealand, South America, Tasmania

How it is used for food

The kernel of the nut is eaten. The fruit has a sweet taste and are eaten.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings. The seeds are very difficult to germinate due to the hard seed coat. To get seed to grow they are put in sand and kept moist for several months. The hard shell can be scraped or treated with chemicals.

Its other names

Local names

Andes prumnopitys, Lleuque, Maniu, Pino, Uva de cordillera

Synonyms

Nageia andina (Poepp. ex Endl.) F. Muell.; Nageia valdiviana (J. Nelson) Kuntze; Podocarpus andinus Poepp. ex Endl.; Podocarpus spicatus Poepp. [Illegitimate]; Podocarpus valdivianus J. Nelson; Prumnopitys elegans Phil.; Prumnopitys spicata Molloy & Munoz-Schick; Stachycarpus adinus (Poepp. ex Endl.) Tiegh.;