PUSHING THE BORDERS

After failing to upload this message on GOTE, I'm finally here to post for the first time.

I was sent this picture of a bunya pine, Araucaria bidwillii, by a friend in Florida. The interesting part is that this is a plant I germinated from seed back in 2000. I had around 20 of them by the time I left for Japan in 2002. All were strong, but not more than a foot high, with limited branching. I was desperate to get rid of everything so I literally gave them away along with another 20 or so seedlings of A. angustifolia. One plant ended up with a friend who subsequently gave it to his brother. This is what 24 years of growth looks like for this species in central Florida. In a word, "WOW!" I shoulda stayed in Florida. I would have a literal forest of Araucaria by now.

I recently bought an Araucaria bidwillii and I am planning to plant it outside next year. I know it is borderline hardy for UK, but I cannot imagine growing it long term in a pot.
Fortune favours the brave..... hopefully.

Very cool, and impressive rate of growth! These are rarely planted much in California these days, the fear of liability from falling cones is the biggest reason, but the size of the tree for small residential lots enters into it as well. I’ve planted out two Araucaria heterophylla from seedlings over the last 10 years, not nearly as fast growing here.

Maya, good luck with your plant. You may also try A. angustifolia since it has a similar look and may be considerably more cold hardy. Give it a lot of room to expand!

David, this certainly isn't a good tree for street plantings or small lots. The tree pictured here would take up a least half the lot I live on in Japan. That's not hyperbole.

This species was considered only marginally cold hardy to Gainesville, Florida back when I lived there in the 80s and 90s. The past 2 decades have been a lot more "frost free", exactly the same period that this tree has been planted out. I wonder if it would survive if another serious cold event hit.

The biggest i've seen is right here in Hayward's downtown. It must be 90' tall or so in a public park. The cones are so lethal they built a heavy duty arbor under it to catch the crashing cones. Only the Redwoods are larger there.

My A heterophylla has been left out all winter unprotected in a pot so I've just planted it in the ground. It looks totally happy. We will see ...

They're a public park/zoo thing here and not a back yard one, of course - they just rope them off during breeding season to make sure no-one's killed. The nuts are apparently good roasted, although I've never tried them.

MICHAEL wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 10:42 am They're a public park/zoo thing here and not a back yard one, of course - they just rope them off during breeding season to make sure no-one's killed. The nuts are apparently good roasted, although I've never tried them.

Death by cone-fall! A. angustifolia is eaten in Brazil as well. The ultimate pine nut. I wonder if it would be a good ingredient in pesto as a substitution for traditional pine nuts...

I'd like to try. Pine nuts are very difficult to harvest here (like almonds) because the cockatoos get to them first.