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any experience with harvesting araucaria bidwilii seed?

16 years ago

There is a "grove" of four huge bunya bunyas near where I live. One of the trees has a collection of ten or so HUGE cones up top, eighty feet above ground. They are still green. There are also five or six young bidwillii saplings growing nearby, so I assume the seed is most likely good.

How long does it take these cones to mature? When can I expect them to fall? This year or the next? That is, will they fall in winter or does it normally take another year for them to mature? any experience. I was totally excited when I realized that a. the cones were up there and b. there were young ones living nearby, probably only six inches tall.

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Comments (9)

fhollingshead
16 years ago
Hi SS:

Arboretum dV(can't remember spelling) at the link below under "Tools" has a great practicum about Araucaria seeds. Good luck.

BTW, any ideas on Agathis australis seedlings?

Cheers,

Frank

Here is a link that might be useful: Arboretum dV
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salicaceae
16 years ago
I have raised both A. bidwillii and A. australis from seed. Here are my thoughts:
1. Seeds must be very fresh - they fall off the tree when ripe
2. Seeds should be cleaned and soaked overnight in water.
3. Seeds should be planted with the pointy side down, with the top of the seed above the soil line. Use a well-drained mix and don't keep it too wet or let it dry out.
4. Keep the seeds in a warm place and keep squirrels away.
5. The Agathis will germinate quickly, but must not be too wet or they will die from dampling off.
6. The A. bidwillii will germinate very slowly - essentially they form a tap root and a "second seed"(see web-site) and then they will eventually produce a shoot. IT MAY TAKE A YEAR before they do this. Once they come up, they will grow rather quickly.

If anyone has fresh seed of either, I would be very grateful for some or would trade. Send me an e-mail.
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sequoia_stiffy
Original Author
16 years ago
I can have seed for you in a few months depending on when these cones fall. Right now they're still green and about eighty feet up in the tree. Barring no squirrels or other nurserymen grab em I'll get them and send some to you. That's what I was asking about, how long it takes the cones to mature. I dug up a small bunya seedling that was growing nearby. It wouldn't have survived anyway given where it was. I got most of the tap root and hopefully it will survive. It hasn't yellowed yet.
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sequoia_stiffy
Original Author
16 years ago
Hey, well the cones started falling a little sooner than I guessed and I have two. So, whoever wants seed, I can send a few for a trade. I cut the hell out of my hands/knees climbing up in that thing, too, by the way, but definitely worth it.
0
salicaceae
16 years ago
Sequoia,

Great! Send me an e-mail and I can give you my address and my FedEx number to use so it doesn't cost you.

BTW, Do you have any A. heterophylla (not columnaris) or A. cunninghamii near you that you can collect seeds from?

Jason
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ospreynn
16 years ago
Sequoia,

I'm interested!!, we can trade some, I have Pinus discolor and Juniperus deppeana seeds if you are interested?? Please send me and email..

osprey
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salicaceae
16 years ago
Sequoia,

If you sent an e-mail, please send again. My e-mail setting had to be updated. Thanks.

Jason
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sequoia_stiffy
Original Author
16 years ago
Send me an email: ajerino82@yahoo.com if you want seed.
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noki
16 years ago
i've read that you have to beware of the failing cones, since they are so huge. Have you ever seen signs around trees warning about falling Araucaria cones?
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