Podocarpus Yew do not require pruning however respond very well to it for shaping purposes. Pruning or shearing to shape your Podocarpus for formal hedges or shapes can be performed almost any time of year.

When should I trim my podocarpus?

Time to Prune

Pruning Podocarpus in the summer encourages secondary growth that is as attractive as new spring growth. Although you might be cutting out its attractive red or purple fruits, pruning in late summer through October might give you a better flush of new growth the following spring.

Should you trim Podocarpus?

Many gardeners plant podocarpus in hedges but it truly excels as a specimen tree, growing slowly to its mature height of 40 feet, with lower limbs sweeping the ground and an airy, irregular silhouette. The tree requires little pruning to develop a strong, attractive branch structure.