Did you say a foot away from the house?

More like 2 feet away.

Any chance you can narrow down what kind of podacarpus you have. If so, Google Images the scientific name, I think when you see the pics you'll see a need to move the tree.

Since the OP said "fern podocarpus" - we can assume it is a P. gracilior (Afrocarpus gracilior).

No matter what, 2 feet is too close to the house. It can become a large tree eventually. I know of some in south Florida that are 3' in diameter and 70' tall. It will take many years, but it can happen.

It is a good, sturdy tree that should be given room to grow. I would move it to a better spot.

"Since the OP said "fern podocarpus" - we can assume it is a P. gracilior (Afrocarpus gracilior)."

I wouldn't make that assumption since it's common to see other species listed as "fern podocarpus". A quick Google search brought up references to at least five other species known by this name (I only went though a few pages of results). Some may be/probably are duplicates/synonyms (I didn't see any need to check that), but the results were certainly enough to remove any comfort with such an assumption.

And, BTW, Afrocarpus falcatus is probably a more correct classification of the above mentioned species (at least per many newer sources).

Regardless, as was stated in various ways above, the tree is too close

I'm not sure it matters which Afrocarpus species it is - invariably, what is sold as "Fern pine" is the same beast horticulturally with only minor differences separating them.

What makes you think newer sources are A. falcatus?

That's not what I said. What I said was that many newer sources consider A.gracilior to be a synonym (secondary) for A.falcatus (what has been previously thought to be separate species, mainly due to location, have been recently shown to be equivalent). I have not seen (although I'm sure someone somewhere has probably said it) A.falcatus considered an alternate (secondary) for A.gracilior. I'm not claiming that older (relatively) sources claim A.falcatus to be an alternate (secondary) for A.gracilior while newer claim the opposite.

In any event, we're getting waaaaay off the subject and should probably start a new thread for further discussion of taxonomy.

Finally, my suggestion to properly identify the plant was not limited to species. Some dwarf cultivars might be maintainable at 2' from the house.

Agreed - taxonomy is off topic. However, I know of no dwarf cultivars of "Fern pine" in the trade. There are dwarf forms of P. macrophyllus and of course dwarf species, but none of these would be called "Fern pine"...

What is likely to be called Fern pine is going to become a big tree - not appropriate for that close to the house..

There is no ID of the tree. We don't know what it is. All we can say is the likelihood is high that the tree is too big for the spot and much repair work will ensue if left there. But it is all a guess without ID.

Dan

I have found out that it can reach as tall as 70 feet!! Also, you know how one day you "discover" something, and then you see them all over the place?? Well, I've been seeing some huge trees all over San Jose and they look like monstrous versions of this graceful and slender "plant." So, chances are that it's more of a weed -- like that 'pretty plant' that one day come up in my yard, and ended up taking over like Godzilla. It was an acacia. I watch the same tree in my neighbor's yard... and feel guilty, because I know who its mama was!! We got rid of ours, and I see the one over the fence getting pretty big. So.... I am willing to bet that this podacarpus will become a Frankenstein's monster. Right?