Installed Pricing · Updated 2026
Podocarpus Hedge — Installed Price
The formal hedge: fine-textured, shear-it-flat, holds its shape year-round. Here is what it costs per plant and per foot, delivered and planted in SW Florida.
If clusia is Cape Coral's tough-guy hedge, podocarpus is the tailored one. The fine, needle-like leaves shear into flat walls and clean corners that a clusia never quite manages, which is why podocarpus lines the courtyards and entry walks of most of the high-end construction from here to Naples. It is also the hedge that behaves in tight spots — narrow side yards, planting strips against the house, under windows.
The trade-off versus clusia is speed: podocarpus grows one to two feet a year, so buy the size that matches your patience. The prices below are delivered and planted at 2.5 feet on center — the plant, the crew, the hole, the haul-off — with per-foot math already done for you.
Podocarpus Pricing by Size — Installed
Per-foot figures assume 2.5-ft on-center spacing. All prices are delivered & planted.
| Size | Installed / Plant | ≈ Per Linear Ft | Hedge Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Gallon (~18–24" tall)Budget rows, low borders | $41 | ~$16/ft | Formal hedge in ~3–4 years |
| 7 Gallon (~3' tall)The standard install size | $118 | ~$47/ft | Solid screen in ~2–3 years |
| 15 Gallon (~4–5' tall)Instant formal lines | $245 | ~$98/ft | Reads as a hedge on day one |
Delivery & install orders carry a $1,500 plant minimum — most hedge rows clear it. Volume discounts start at 10 plants; trade pricing for contractors.
Example: 40-Foot Front Courtyard Line
A 40-foot formal line at 2.5 feet on center takes 16 plants. In 7-gallon that is 16 × $118 = $1,888 installed, before the volume discount a 16-plant row earns. Shear it twice a year and it will look like architecture.
Where Podocarpus Is the Right Call
Choose podocarpus when the look matters as much as the screen: formal front-yard lines, courtyard walls, framing an entry, or any hedge you plan to keep sheared at a fixed height. It is also our default for narrow side-yard strips between Cape Coral houses, where clusia would eventually get too deep and an areca row would swallow the walkway. Part-shade lines — north walls, under oaks — are podocarpus territory too.
Skip it if you need 10 feet of privacy in two years (that is clusia or areca — see the side-by-side comparison), or if the row takes direct salt spray off open water.
Podocarpus Pricing FAQ
How much does a podocarpus hedge cost installed?+
At 2.5 feet on center, installed podocarpus runs roughly $16 per linear foot in 3-gallon, about $47/ft in 7-gallon, and about $98/ft in 15-gallon. Those are delivered-and-planted numbers — plant, truck, crew, hole, and cleanup.
Why is podocarpus planted tighter than clusia?+
Podocarpus grows narrower and slower (1-2 feet per year vs 2-3 for clusia), so a 2.5-foot spacing is what gets you a solid formal face in a reasonable time. Tighter spacing means slightly more plants per foot — the per-foot numbers above already account for that.
How tall does a podocarpus hedge get?+
As tall as you maintain it — podocarpus is a tree by nature. Most Cape Coral hedges are held at 6-10 feet; commercial lines run taller. It takes shearing better than any hedge we sell, holding crisp flat walls and corners.
Is podocarpus good for narrow side yards?+
It is the best hedge for tight spaces. Podocarpus tolerates hard shearing down to a 2-foot-deep profile, grows fine in part shade between houses, and its roots behave next to pavers, pool decks, and foundations.
Does podocarpus handle salt and drought?+
Drought yes — established rows on sandy Cape soil rarely need more than normal irrigation. Salt is moderate: fine a lot or two off the water, but for direct canal-mouth or Gulf spray, clusia is the safer pick.
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