Here in the nursery, we almost always identify plants by their botanical names, especially when it comes to shrubs and trees. Common names are often deceptive and invariably will create confusion as to the true nature of a plant. Case in point, Podocarpus lawrencei 'Blue Gem' is commonly referred to as Blue Gem Mountain Plum Pine, but it is neither a plum nor a pine. To make things even messier, the foliage is very yew-like, so gardeners may think this evergreen shrub is a yew, and it's not. What 'Blue Gem' is, is a slow growing, evergreen, globe-shaped shrub that will eventually spread wider than it is tall. Springtime growth emerges a reddish-purple, then morphs to a blue-green color. Consider using 'Blue Gem' as a taller ground cover, or place it in drier spots in the garden.