From time to time in Jardinería On We like to introduce you to plants that you will probably never see in nurseries, but that will nevertheless leave you amazed if you ever travel to their country of origin and find them. There are many that are incredible, but If you are like me a lover of deciduous trees, surely there is Antarctica you will love.
Would you like to know what it is like and where it is? Well, you know, keep reading 😉.
What is the origin and characteristics of the Antarctic beech?
It is a native tree of the Andean Patagonian forest of Argentina, from latitude 36º S to Tierra del Fuego, at latitude 56º S, which began its evolution in Gondwana (a continental mass that emerged 200 million years ago that united what is today South America, Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and the Iberian Peninsula). It is known by the names of ñire, ñirre or Antarctic beech, and botanically as Nothofagus antarctica. Reach an impressive height, taking into account that temperatures remain low practically all year round: from 10 to 25 meters. You can have several thin trunks or just one.
Its crown is made up of simple and alternate leaves, 5 to 35mm long, with a serrated and wavy edge. They are covered with a sweet smelling wax. During the fall they turn yellow-reddish until they fall. The flowers only appear in the adult specimens during spring, and are greenish-yellow in color. Once it is pollinated, the fruit begins to ripen, which is composed of 4 valves inside which we will find three seeds called walnuts or beechnuts.
What do you need to survive?
If you manage to acquire a copy, you must provide the following:
- Climate: it must be cold, with temperatures not exceeding 25ºC. In autumn and winter, they must drop below 0º.
- Location: outdoors, in full sun or semi-shade.
- Land: rich in organic matter, fresh and well drained.
- Irrigation: frequent, 3-4 times a week in summer and somewhat less the rest of the year.
- Planting time: in spring, before the budding of the leaves.
- Multiplication: by seeds. They have to stratify in the fridge for 3 months at 6ºC.
- Rusticity: resistant up to -15ºC.
What did you think of this tree?