Did you know that there is a Yellowwood tree connection between South Africa and Japan?

Yellowwood trees occurs mainly in the Southern Hemisphere: from Africa to South America and New Zealand.  Surprisingly there is a Yellowwood tree occurring in Japan: Podocarpus macrophyllus, known as the Japanese Yew tree (Kusamaki).

South Africa’s national tree is a Yellowwood tree (Podocarpus latifolius). These trees occur in coastal forests and are protected tree species, meaning it is against the law to damage/harvest such trees.

These slow-growing trees are related to conifers and pines because they do not produce any flowers. Only special cones that produce pollen. They occur as separate male and female trees.

Yellowwood trees are evergreen (do not lose their glossy dark green leaves during autumn/winter). These trees can grow very tall, up to 33m and can reach diameters of 2.9m. Hence they are known as the “Big Trees’ of South African forests.

Their wood is pale yellow, becoming a darker yellow with age. This wood used to be highly valued for furniture. Today such furniture is very expensive since Yellowwoods are protected and not available to use for furniture any more.

The Cape Parrot occurs only in South Africa and is associated with Yellowwoods since they feed on the Yellowwood trees’ berry-like cones.

Let me know in the comments if you like the Japanese Yew tree (Kusamaki).or which tree is your favourite tree.