Chilean Araucaria (Araucaria araucana)

The Araucaria auracana is a slow-growing conifer

Image - Flickr / lalo_pangue

La araucaria auracana it is one of the most curious and beautiful conifers that exist. It has a very tall trunk, being able to easily exceed thirty meters in height, but also its life expectancy is very long: approximately 1000 years.

However, it has a drawback, and that is that its growth rate is quite slow. His motto seems to be "slow but sure", and certainly not bad for him 🙂.

Origin and characteristics of araucaria auracana

Known as araucaria, Chilean araucaria, pehuén, araucano pine, stone tree (not to be confused with the Pinea pine), araucaria pine, Patagonian pine or arm pine, is an evergreen conifer endemic to the Pehuén district of the South American subantarctic forests, specifically Chile and southern Argentina belonging to the genus Araucaria.

Can reach heights of up to 50 meters, with a more or less straight trunk of a thickness of about 3 meters, and a crown that branches several meters from the ground, composed of branches that grow perpendicular to the trunk. The leaves are acicular, hard, 3 to 4 cm long, ending in a dark green thorn at the tip.

It is a dioecious species, having female feet and male feet, differing above all by the inflorescences, the former being more showy by acquiring the shape of a small ball, and the latter more elongated and brown.

How do you take care of yourself?

The Araucaria auracana is a rustic tree

Image - Wikimedia / Javiera zuñiga prieto

If you want to have a Chilean araucaria specimen, we recommend that you provide it with the following care:

Location

It is a plant that needs a lot of room to growTherefore, apart from always having it outside, it must be about ten meters from walls, walls, pipes, tall trees, etc.

Earth

  • Garden: grows in slightly acidic soils with good drainage.
  • Flower pot: you can fill it with universal substrate (on sale here) or substrate for acidophilic plants (for sale here) mixed with 30% perlite (for sale here).

Irrigation

View of the leaves of the Araucaria auracana

Image - Wikimedia / Rokfaith

La Araucaria araucana It is a tree that does not support drought, but neither does waterlogging. Ideally, water it an average of 3 times a week during the hottest season, and an average of 1-2 times a week the rest of the year.. However, keep in mind that this is only a guide; If it rains frequently in your area, you will have to water less, and if on the contrary you live in a place where it hardly rains, the frequency will be higher.

On the other hand, when you water, avoid wetting the aerial part (leaves, branches) as they could burn.

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From early spring to late summer It is highly recommended to fertilize it from time to time, especially if you have it in a pot. You can use any type of compost, be it compound (chemical) or organic, for example:

  • universal fertilizer: it is a complex fertilizer that can be used for any type of plant (except carnivores that do not compost, and orchids that have their own specific fertilizer). There are several formulas, granules, liquids or powders, but always, always, the instructions specified on the container must be followed.  No products found..
  • guano: it is the manure of seabirds, very rich in nutrients. Its effectiveness is fast. It is indicated for plants to grow strong and healthy. You also have to follow the instructions because, even if it is organic, it is so concentrated that the risk of overdose is real if we do not apply it well. Buy it here.
Organic compost on the ground
Related article:
All about fertilizers

Multiplication

La Araucaria araucana multiplies by seeds in winter and cuttings at the end of that season. Let us know how to proceed in each case:

Seeds

Pine nuts are seeds of the Araucaria

Image - Wikimedia / Bsea

If you live in an area where there are frosts and the maximum temperature during the winter season is about 15ºC, you can sow the seeds directly in pots with substrate for acidophilic plants or for seedlings (for sale here), you bury them a little bit (mostly so that they are not very exposed to the sun), and you water.

But if you live in a warmer area, you should plant them in a tupperware with vermiculite, and keep them in the fridge for about three months (in this link you have more information about seed stratification). After that time, with the arrival of spring, plant them in pots placed outside, in semi-shade.

If all goes well, they will germinate before summer arrives.

Cuttings

It's difficult but not impossible. A semi-woody branch about 40cm long is cut, then the base is impregnated with rooting hormones (for sale No products found.), and finally it is planted in a pot with, for example, coconut fiber (for sale here) or similar.

Placing it outside, in semi-shade, and keeping the substrate moist but not waterlogged, it should emit its own roots in about 5-8 weeks.

Pruning

You don't need it.

Rusticity

It resists frosts of up to -18ºC, but it does not live well in very hot climates or on the coasts. If you live in a place like this, I recommend the Araucaria heterophylla, which I can tell you from experience that lives wonderfully in places like the Mediterranean region (with mild frosts of up to -2ºC -do not worry, it holds a lot more 😉 - and maximums of 38ºC), and about 7km in a straight line from sea.

Where to buy Araucaria araucana?

You find it in nurseries and garden stores. You can also buy it from here:

Araucaria Araucana Monkey Puzzle tree Evergreen Exotic Edible - 5cm tall, sweet seedling plant

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