Happy Days-we now have a Wollemi Pine!!!

Discussion in 'Araucariaceae' started by Joy Cooper, Sep 7, 2007.

  1. Joy Cooper

    Joy Cooper Active Member

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    Evans Head New South Wales Australia
    The other day we found some Wollemi pines for sale. Wonderful!! Needless to say we bought one. These only came onto the market late last year. They are a rare & extremely endangered species, thought to have become extinct two million yrs ago, & were discovered in a national park near Sydney, Aust. just over 10 yrs ago. This park has since been given World Heritage listing, mainly because of these pines. There are only about 100 mature specimens in the wild & in order to protect them a few seedlings & cuttings were taken for propagation. These finally came on to the market late last year, the first being auctioned for a very good price & royalties from sales go to the protection of the pines & other rare & endangered native species. All pines sold have to have an authentification cert. It is an extremely weird, but magical, tree, it looks as though Dr Seuss designed it!!! It's a pine, but does not have needles!! The branches grow out from the stem at all different angles, up ,down & around & have a fern-like quality, but are pretty tough. The bark looks like bubbling chocolate & it can tolerate wide extremes of climate. Make good indoor & outdoor plants, inthe wild specimens can grow to 40 metres, mine is 60cms (2ft) & is in a pot out on our shady patio, hope it will be as happy there as we are happy to have it. Just so excited about it, I had to share my delight.
     
  2. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Hello Joy,

    I am glad you are enjoying your tree. I visited the small tree that was planted here at UBCBG yesterday. It is doing well. We have a larger specimen as well, but it is remaining at the nursery for observation the first winter.

    The Wollemi pine is not actually a pine. It is a member of the Araucariaceae, related to Araucaria araucana (monkey puzzle).
    Wollemia nobilis
     
  3. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Joy i agree with you Wollemi pine is a exciting tree !I planted one this summer in my garden ,wonderful!!
     
  4. Joy Cooper

    Joy Cooper Active Member

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    I'm glad someone understands my excitement at obtaining this wonderful tree, thanks. Yes, Eric, I did know the family name for it, but thought it took up too much space:D!!! The NZ kauri, Norfolk Island, Hoop & Bunya pines are relatives, also. It is great to see it in such diverse regions, apparently it can tolerate temps of -12 to 45 degrees Celsius. There is an excellent website : www.wollemipine.com which has all the info needed. I envy you alex66 , my plant must remain potted for the moment, as we do not have a garden, it still looks good & I imagine the ones @ UBCBG could not be in better hands.
     
  5. blackfoot

    blackfoot Member

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    My parents bought a couple of Wollemi Pines when the first came out and they are doing really well. They seem to love the sub tropical climate here and their bark is slowly beginning to bubble in places near the base of the plant.

    To think the Premier of Queensland had one of the first one's cultivated in his office and killed it in the air conditioning - silly billy.
     
  6. Joy Cooper

    Joy Cooper Active Member

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    Hi, blackfoot, how is it up there in lovely Maryborough?? We are about 200kms south of Brisbane, so the climate is still fairly sub-tropical. Yesterday, it reached @ least 29c, today is the same & it's not yet summer!!! My Wollemi is in a pot (don't have a garden, unfortunately), on a shady patio & is now getting some late afternoon sun, still seems to be enjoying it, touch wood. Air-con won't be a problem, suppose one really can't blame Peter Beattie too much, too busy with affairs of state to bother with a plant, I would think. As you said, silly billy!! The new Premier may have greener thumbs!!! Your parents' plants appear to be doing very well. We were thrilled to see them, finally, for sale @ Big W, went for a look & ended up splurging the plant budget buying one, couldn't resist. It is now a constant delight for me.
     

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