Totara care

Light

Most houseplants will scorch where totara thrives. Give it the windowsill you'd otherwise leave empty because everything else burned there. Full sun produces the strongest, densest growth; tolerates part shade when young but prefers open exposure as it matures. A plant moved abruptly from low light to direct sun bleaches in 48 hours — always acclimatise over a week.

Watering

Aim for when the topsoil dries, weekly while establishing then as needed for totara, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Water regularly during the first seasons to settle roots; mature trees are drought- and wind-hardy and need little supplemental water except in extended dry spells.

Soil and pot

Totara grows best in well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Adaptable to a wide range from sandy to clay loams provided drainage is reasonable. Tolerates exposed and coastal sites; dislikes permanent waterlogging. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Totara sits happiest at around 40-70% humidity and -8 to 28°C (18 to 82°F). A landscape tree unconcerned with ambient humidity; thrives in humid maritime climates and tolerates drier inland air once established. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed totara sparingly. Low-maintenance feeder. Apply a balanced slow-release fertiliser once in spring during the establishment years; mature trees rarely need feeding. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on totara in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Slow establishment — Naturally slow-growing; keep young trees watered and weed-free for the first few seasons to build a strong root system.
• Waterlogged roots — Persistently wet, compacted soil causes decline; plant on free-draining ground or improve drainage before planting.
• Wind burn when young — Newly planted trees can scorch in harsh, exposed wind before establishing; provide temporary shelter in the first year.
• No seed on single trees — Dioecious — the red fleshy receptacles only form on female trees pollinated by a nearby male.

Propagation

Grown from fresh seed cleaned of the fleshy aril, which germinates slowly, or from semi-hardwood cuttings taken in late summer with rooting hormone and good drainage. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Totara is toxic to pets. Not individually listed by the ASPCA, but the genus Podocarpus is classified by the ASPCA (as 'Buddhist Pine', Podocarpaceae) as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, with an unknown toxic principle causing vomiting and diarrhoea. Treat foliage and seeds as toxic and keep away from pets. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Totara deep-dive guides

Every aspect of totara care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Totara watering schedule
• Totara light requirements
• Best soil mix for totara
• Totara fertilizing guide
• When to repot totara
• How to propagate totara
• Totara growth rate & size
• Totara cold hardiness
• Totara temperature & humidity
• Is totara toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is totara toxic to cats?
• Is totara toxic to dogs?
• Getting totara to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Totara qualifies for 5 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
• Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Totara is also commonly called totara or New Zealand totara.

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