Latin name: Araucaria araucana Y
Description: This very prehistoric looking tree hails from the volcanic slopes of the Andes in southern Chile through to Argentina. It should really only be grown in larger gardens and well away from a house, never-the-less, they are very architectural plants indeed and look good from an early age. It is evergreen and dark green in colouration with hard, sharp, overlapping leaves, densely covering the branches. Overall the appearance is rather open, with widely spreading branches that droop on older specimens. Grow one of these stunning trees by all means; just beware of what they turn into!
Hardiness: Hardy to about -17C
Height: Slowly growing to18m plus
Position: Open ground well away from any buildings, unless you are prepared to cut it down when it out grows its position
Soil: moderately fertile soil
Water: fairly drought resistant once established
Usage: A great tree for dramatic effect and stunning appearance – position wisely
Thu, Apr 10, 2008
Architectural