Plant

African Yellowwood

Podocarpus latifolius

Also known as Real Yellowwood, Broad-leaved Yellowwood, Oprechte Geelhout

Real yellowwoods are imposing slow-growing evergreen conifers that dominate the canopy of South Africa's ancient Afromontane forests. Mature trees feature distinctive deeply fissured greyish bark and glossy leather-like leaves that cluster toward the tips of stiff branchlets. Their swollen purple-red fleshy seed receptacles attract endemic forest birds like the Cape parrot, which feed on and disperse the hard seeds.

EvergreenConiferCanopy Tree

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Least ConcernConservation status

Key facts

Diet & preyAutotrophic

ThreatsHistorical timber exploitation, habitat fragmentation

HabitatsAfromontane forests, coastal forests, mountain ravines

Life span500–1000 years

Classification

FamilyPodocarpaceae
SpeciesPodocarpus latifolius

Range & activity

Range data is not available yet.

Safe observation

Interaction riskLow

Low
Moderate
High
Very high

Why interaction risk is low: Wild berries and fleshy cones have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
What to notice: Recognize it by its straight trunk, peeling grey bark, and broad, glossy foliage in indigenous high forests.
Support conservation: Refrain from cutting, peeling bark, or damaging root zones when hiking near mature trees.

Responsible observation

Bark Identification: Look for greyish, longitudinally peeling bark on mature trunks to distinguish it in dense forest.
Fruiting Season: Search beneath mature female trees in autumn for swollen red-purple seed receptacles.
Protected Status: Enjoy observing wild trees without removing leaves, bark, or seed cones.

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