Araucaria bidwillii
| Araucaria bidwillii | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 131' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Araucaria bidwillii (common name: bunya-bunya)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[1] or it can be stored cool and moist then sown February in a greenhouse[2][3]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 15°c[1]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. The plants have a rather sparse root system and are best placed in their final positions as soon as possible. Give them some protection from the cold for at least their first winter[K].
Cultivation: Succeeds in most soils[4]. Plants are resistant to salt spray[4].
Not very hardy outdoors in Britain, it requires a cool greenhouse in most parts of the country[5]. Some provenances should be hardy at least in the milder areas, there is one tree growing in Cornwall at Glendurgan gardens[6]. It was 10 metres tall in 1965[7].
This species is hardy to about -5°c, with occasional lows to -8°c, but it is liable to be killed in severe winters even in the Scilly Isles[8].
In Australia, each Aboriginal family would own a group of trees and these would be passed down from generation to generation[9]. This is said to be the only case of hereditary personal property owned by the Aborigines[9].
Range: Australia - Queensland.
Habitat: Rich volcanic soils in moist valleys at low elevations near the coast[6][10].
Edibility: Seed - raw, cooked or ground into a powder[5][9][6][4][11]. Starchy and delicious, it has the texture of a waxy boiled potato with the flavour of chestnuts[11]. Large, it is an important food source for the Australian Aborigines[12]. Cones can be up to 4.5 kilos in weight and contain up to 150 seeds[5]. The germinating seed produces an underground 'earth nut' which has a coconut-like flavour[11].
Usage: Wood - soft, easily worked, high quality. Used for cabinet making, flooring, plywood etc[12]. The branches are used for fencing and fuel[13].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Seed Ripens: Early Fall-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Monoecious
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan, 1988.
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ McMillan-Browse, Philip. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books, 1985.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Rushforth, Keith. Conifers. Batsford, 1991.
- ↑ Mitchell, Alan. Conifers in the British Isles. Stationery Office Books, 1975.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Holliday, Ivan and Ron Hill. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller, 1974.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Cribb, Alan. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins, 1981.
- ↑ Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.