About
Araucaria bidwillii is a sizable conifer that can reach heights of up to 45 meters, featuring whorled branches. In its youth, the tree exhibits a conical shape that matures into a more rounded form as it ages, leading to the loss of its lower branches. The leaves are flattened and glossy, with spiny tips; they are arranged in a spiral pattern when young and become overlapping as they mature. This species produces large cones that can measure up to 30 centimeters in length, starting green and turning brown upon ripening. The cones contain edible seeds.
About the genus
Araucaria comprises evergreen trees native to the Southern Hemisphere. These trees feature whorled branching and leaves that can be needle-like, triangular, or scale-like in appearance. They produce small male cones and larger female cones, typically found on different specimens.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, East-facing, South-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H1C
Plant details
- Plant type
- Conifers, Conservatory Greenhouse, Trees
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- Higher than 12 metres
- Spread
- wider than 8 metres
- Time to full height
- More than 50 years
- Suggested uses
- Patio and container plants, Sub-tropical, Architectural
- Native to
- NE Australia
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow as a containerised tree under glass in areas liable to temperatures below 5°C. The plant may be placed outside in a sheltered, sunny position during the summer In containers, use a well-drained, loam-based potting compost with extra grit. Water freely during the growing season, spring to early autumn,and keep the compost just moist during the winter. Apply a balanced fertiliser every two weeks during the growing season
- Pruning
- Pruning group 1; little or no pruning is required, as this can permanently spoil the shape of the tree
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown in seedbed as soon as ripe; take semi-ripe cuttings of vertical shoot tips in midsummer and root in a cold frame, cuttings of horizontal side branches will not form an upright tree
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus