I had 3 Araucaria cunninghamii here in NYC, together with angustifolias, bidwillis, araucanas and heterophylas. All 3 died during a test to a 3-day cold spell where temps were below 32F, but their cousins didn't have a single leaf burn. It is technically as hardy as the heterophylla, which I have exposed to sveral cold speels, where in two days the temps reached 18F. It survived, with no major leaf burn, but when tested to a 5 day below freezing temperature. it died. My angustifolias where outsidet this last season, in full sun throughout the NYC winter, in planters (completely frozer for several days), and all them survived. However, major leaf burning and branch loss was reported. In late March, they started growing again very vigorously. I am going to test them planted on the ground next winter to see what happens. But there is big difference between the NY zone 7 and the Georgia zone 7. In the north, temps fail to go above freezing for prolonged periods of time, explaining why the one in the Botanical Garden in Atlanta does well, but it wouldn't in the milder parts of Long Island, NY. Of course there are some other factors to consider too.

Jim McAdam (Director of Forests in PNG) measured a tree at 306 feet prior to WW II. I was involved in measuring logs in 1958 and we got one tree that was 292 feet to a broken top (caused during the felling) and the top diameter was about 8 inches. Had we found the top (suspect it was caught up in the canopy) it would have exceeded 300 feet and probably beaten the 306 feet. Jim McAdam had offered a case of Black label whiskey to anyone who found a tree over 300 feet high. We dipped out.

Arauquoia, Have just noticed your post. I germinated A. bidwillii (Bunya Pine) once and found that it can take anywhere between 1 and 5 years to germinate. A. cunninghamii (Hoop Pine) seems to be a little quicker, I have some large trees in the reserve across the street from my place and there are numerous young trees sprouting underneath the main trees. I think that they will store well as they are native to our 'drier' subtropical and tropical rainforest areas and as such will remain viable for much longer than many other rainforest species. I don't think that refrigeration would be an option though. In regards to Agathis. Agathis australis is the New Zealand Kauri Pine and I don't know much about it except that it comes from the temperate north island of New Zealand. Agathis robusta (Queensland Kauri) comes from the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Queensland but I don't know how long their seed takes to germinate. Andrew.

I just discovered this Araucaria converstion and wanted to add my experience. Andrew with regards to your initial posting...I only soak my Araucaria seeds for 24 hrs...the ones that sink...usually have the greatest chance for germination...for the seeds that don't sink...I wait about 12 hrs and then soak them for another 24 hrs...most of the time you will find more sinkers. I plant all of the seeds...and have been surprised to find that some of the non-sinkers did germinate. I think that prolonged soaking will kill the seed...so to speak. I've had some Araucaria actually germinate during the soaking process...examples are the A. araucana, A. angustifolia and A. bidwillii. With regards to sowing the seeds...without exception I cover all Araucaria seeds with a small amount of soil...about 1/4 - 1/2 inch. During the cooler months I use heating mats set at about 75 F. Of all the species I grow: A. araucana, A. angustifolia, A. bidwillii, A. cunninghamii, A. columnaris, A. montana and A. hetrophyllla...I have found that almost without exception some will begin germination within 2-3 weeks....but more importantly...don't give up on the remaining seeds that have not shown any signs of germination...I currently have some that are lagging 3 months behind those that have already germinated. Pictures: #1 - a forest of A. angustifolia, #2 - A. araucana (Left) and A. angustifolia (Right), #3 - A. bidwillii getting ready to be moved up to taller pots, #4 - a display of Araucaria seeds.