Araucaria araucana

Discussion in 'Araucariaceae' started by Achilleas, Oct 12, 2010.

  1. Achilleas

    Achilleas Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Elefsina, Greece
    Hello to everyone,

    I am Achilleas from Greece and I would like to plant a monkey puzzle tree in my garden.
    the area is in mount Parnitha northwest of Athens at 650 meters of altitude.winters have some snow and cold like -15 to -17 Celsius depending on the year. summers are typically mediterranean with temperatures as high as 38 degrees, hot and dry.
    Do you think it can survive well there with no problems?
    my biggest fear is the dry weather during summer.
    the area is a plateau with flora like Quercus pubescens, Pinus halepensis, Juniperus oxycedrus, and sporadically Abies cephalonica.

    thank you
     
  2. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    11,417
    Likes Received:
    501
    Location:
    Britain zone 8/9
    Should be OK. It grows naturally in a Mediterranean climate in the northern parts of its native range in Chile.
     
  3. Achilleas

    Achilleas Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Elefsina, Greece
    some people that own plant nursuries here told me that they don't bring this kind of Araucaria because during summers they die...
    do you think is it worth the trying?
    during winter we have plenty of fogs, but in summer the sky is usually clear.
     
  4. Achilleas

    Achilleas Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Elefsina, Greece
    in the same area I do have planted Cedars(all the species), Calocedrus, Abies (pinsapo, cephalonica, numidica), Pinus (heldreichii, cembra, nigra, sylvestris, pinea) and they all do great.
    rainfall occurs around 700-800 mm a year and during summer I have 1-2 good rains only.
     
  5. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

    Messages:
    21,250
    Likes Received:
    786
    Location:
    WA USA (Z8)
    Maybe make arrangements to water it.
     
  6. Achilleas

    Achilleas Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Elefsina, Greece
    I will provide irrigations for sure!
    the point is that if it will manage the hot weather during summer and the hot sun...
    is my climate according to my writings a suitable one?
     
  7. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    11,417
    Likes Received:
    501
    Location:
    Britain zone 8/9
    Should be suitable, yes. In lowland Greece it might get problems with the heat, but not at 650m.
     
  8. Achilleas

    Achilleas Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Elefsina, Greece
    thank you very much...
    I think my area is a zone 8b - 8a.
    my fear is during watering in summer alonside high temperatures may cause suffocative conditions to the plant.
     
  9. Achilleas

    Achilleas Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Elefsina, Greece
    someone from Germany told me that Araucaria araucana needs protection from full sun until they become 1 meter high.
    is that true?
     
  10. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    11,417
    Likes Received:
    501
    Location:
    Britain zone 8/9
    Wouldn't have thought so, but easy enough to do if you want to stay safe.
     
  11. Loukas Glyptis

    Loukas Glyptis New Member

    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Greece
    Hello Achilleas,

    My name is Loukas and I am also interested (for a few years now), to plan an Araucaria Araucana in my field on Northern Chios (Island) in the Aegean. I am writing to see whether you had any luck with yours. Have you planted the tree? Did it grow? A few years ago, I brought two in pots from the UK, but they only survived in my balcony (before even getting a chance to transport them to Chios) for two-three months... they turned their leaves brown and ultimately died.

    I have so far planted in my field two blue spruces (the one is about 3.5 metres tall), one Normadin spruce (3.5 metres tall), Two Cedars Atlantica (2 metre tall) and 2 Norwegian Spruces (3 and 2 metre tall). Do you or ANYONE PLEASE think that I stand chances if I try to plant a Monkey Puzzle Tree? The field is located about 1 km away from the sea but it is not directly exposed to winds that my be bringing sea salt as it is protected by a hill. Temperatures in July-August can reach up to 36-37 C, but normally their max is 34 C. Would appreciate some advice please! Also, If I get a 3lit potted plant, should I plant it first to a larger pot to leave it for a few years to grow, or should I plant it directly on the ground?

    Kind regards,

    Loukas
     
  12. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    10,574
    Likes Received:
    615
    Location:
    Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Seems like that would be pretty hot in the summer time for these. But, @Michael F should comment--he may have seen these in different environments.
     
  13. Loukas Glyptis

    Loukas Glyptis New Member

    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Greece
    Ηi Daniel and thank you very much for your prompt reply! I attach here some pictures from my garden/field with the trees that I have imported... and which seem to be doing all right for the time being. I am not sure whether the conifers that I have planted have similar environmental requirements to Araucaria Araucana, but, just in case, please note that I have so far planted in my field two blue spruces (the one is about 3.5 metres tall and is there for 15 years), one Normadin spruce (3.5 metres tall; 15 years too), Two Cedars Atlantica (2 metre tall 10 years and 3 years respectively) and 2 Norwegian Spruces (3 and 2 metre tall 10 and 8 years respectively). I also have three male and female ilex aquifolium (for 15 years, 10 years planted there), a 10 year planted English Yew.... and only very recently (a moth ago) have planted a sequoiadendron giganteum and a sequoia sempervirens (I am praying they will thrive).

    I attach pictures here for a clearer idea of what the field and trees look like in the summer and what in winter.

    Kind regards,

    Loukas
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    11,417
    Likes Received:
    501
    Location:
    Britain zone 8/9
    Certainly worth a try. If it is possible, get plants sourced from the northernmost native locations in Chile, where it is hotter and drier in the summer.
     
  15. Loukas Glyptis

    Loukas Glyptis New Member

    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Greece
    Hi Michael, Thanks very much for offering your view on this, which it has given me the necessary motivation to order a tree.... unfortunately, I cannot ensure that the tree will be from the northernmost native locations in Chile, as I am located in Greece and do not have the luxury of choice. I have order a 5lt pot, 40-60cm young tree... This is the max I can afford to ship here, so will have to patient!

    Can you please advise on whether I should plant it directly on the ground OR on a larger pot, say for 1-2 more years, until it grows even stronger roots? Also, should I use mulch and any of these natural instigators (fungi) of the root system and/or some fertiliser? Do you recommend spraying it with fungicide Topsin or Kaptan every spring (as I do with my other conifers) to reduce the risk of fungi infection, please? Also, should I plant the tree in a place where it is likely to get access to more shade and moisture during the summer period? I plan to be watering 2 to 3 times a week during July - August and always at night time.

    Kind regards,

    Loukas
     
  16. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    11,417
    Likes Received:
    501
    Location:
    Britain zone 8/9
    Directly in the ground - the smaller size it is put in its final position, the better it will establish. No need for mulch, in the wild they typically grow in volcanic cinders - very free-draining, and no organic content.
     
  17. Loukas Glyptis

    Loukas Glyptis New Member

    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Greece
    Thank you very much Michael! I really appreciate your advice!

    Will let you know how it goes as soon as I get it planted and a few months pass by...
     
  18. Achilleas

    Achilleas Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Elefsina, Greece
    Hi Loukas!

    Sorry to answer so late, just now I saw the answer. How did it go with your Araucaria araucana? Did it survive?
     
  19. Loukas Glyptis

    Loukas Glyptis New Member

    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Greece
    Hi Achilleas,

    Good to hear from you. Coincidentally, I was looking at this thread yesterday night, so it came as a surprise that you replied a couple of minutes after I re-viewed this thread. Last year I bought a second araucaria araucana and planted it in my garden in Northern Chios... I do not know whether I made a mistake, but I planted at exactly the same spot in which I had planted a few months ago the previous one which died in August from an acute fungal attack (sprayed with Neotopsin and I think Alliette a few days later, but could not save it). Perhaps, the second tree got infected from any remnants of fungi in the soil and soon enough (by March) the first black brunch appeared... following this (and even though I started applying fungicide) more black spots started appearing in different areas of the young tree until it died in July. I am not sure whether its the soil in the area, the watering, the climate or all of the above that are to blame. I felt really bad seeing the second plant dying. Did you have any luck with yours (I presume not). Maybe it's not a tree for our areas, although I cannot believe that it would do well e.g. in Northern Greece or in Corfu. I would really love to have a specimen in my garden and in fact I was thinking of contacting a nursery in Athens which supposedly sells some (Κωνοφόρα - Κατάλογος Φυτών). The downside of this is that I get really sad when I lose a tree and also, this is a costly tree to buy. Have you been buying yours from Athens? I was importing mine myself from the UK... thinking that it would not be possible to find such tree in Greek nurseries. Also, please note that since I posted the pictures above from my other conifers, some of them have contracted fungi, while my 17 year old blue spruce died this summer (after doing badly over the past 4 years).Yet, I have another one at my home in Athens (equally old) and it is thriving... So, I am not sure what I may be doing wrong... a parameter is that I do not live permanently on Chios, and thus I cannot look after them as I would like to. Please let me know of your own experiences.
     
  20. Achilleas

    Achilleas Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Elefsina, Greece
    hi Loukas,

    I am really sad mostly for your 17 year old Picea. I know this really hurts a lot.
    As for Araucaria. I tried only one with a plant from France but I was not satisfied with its rooting. It was 7 lt and when I went to plant it it seemed newly transplanted there so the half pot was not even rooted and broke away. I put this tree in full sun and middle of July was dead. I was watering it every 4-5 days. The strange thing is that on the same place I have lost numerous plants so next time I am going to plant one in a semi shady area. But I fear that our hot summer does not let them thrive. I have Abies cephalonica, pinsapo, numidica, Picea abies and chicuahuana, all going strong(I even have pinsapo growing from seed by its own from the older tree. But Araucaria seems just to not like it. I will give it one more try for sure. My area seems to love Cedars they grow like crazy. I think Araucaria araucana is a really difficult plant to grow here. The most amazing thing is that yesterday I thought to call at the same nursesy you posted me here! I love this tree, I hope we can both raise it somehow. During winter my climate fits it great but July and August I think not. But I will try under semi shade and see what happens. I think we must find seed from Argentina and not Chile. From the driest place that can grow. I wonder how we can find this!
     
  21. Loukas Glyptis

    Loukas Glyptis New Member

    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Greece
    Καλημέρα Achilleas,

    Thank you so much for your response and also for sharing these great news about the different pines your host at your garden - I do not have such a great variety of trees in my garden, although I do have one more colorado spruce (not sure how long it will last as I notices some openings in one or two of its brunches as if they were woods - cut them and sterilised the area, but cannot feel safe or optimistic about its prospects) which I brought from the UK and planted about 10 years ago as a small plant in my garden. I also have two Norway spruces doing well for now (but have notices some yellowish-brownish leaves at some of the lower brunches - do you get any similar symptoms)? I also have some cedar trees... a huge deodara, a 3 and a 2.5 metres atlanticas (green and glauca) and also three young but growing cedar trees from Cyprus, where they have a variety of the Lebanese Cedar. I believe Michael F, who has given me advice about the araucaria at some other thread I believe, suggested that we need to get a tree from the dryer areas of Chille (or Argentina) as you say... seeds would do... but again, how do you get them? I called at the nursery yesterday... they do not have the araucarias readily on sale... they import them upon placing an order and a 50-60cm tree would cost 170 EUROS, which is too expensive in my view... I prefer to make a trip abroad and get a tree with me :-) In any case, it would be lovely to contact each other directly and see how we could share experiences about our gardens and how we could give it another try with the araucaria araucana with which, I am also obsessed with. Please feel free to μειλ me at lglyptis παπάκι χοτμειλ τελεία κομ and we could take it from there.
     

Share This Page