How long do Bunya pines take to grow?
Bunya nuts are slow to germinate. A set of 12 seeds sown in Melbourne took an average of about six months to germinate (with the first germinating in 3 months) and only developed roots after 1 year.
How big do Bunya pines grow?
150 feet
Mature bunya pine trees grow to 150 feet (45 m.) tall with straight, thick trunks and distinctive, symmetrical, dome-shaped crowns. The leaves are lance-shaped and the cones grow to the size of large coconuts.
Are Bunya pines protected?
Saw logs for Bunyas come from plantations only, as they are protected in their national park wild habitat. Stand well back! While many people love Bunya pines, this love affair comes with a health warning. They are best regarded with both distance and respect!
What is Bunya pine?
Bunya pine, (Araucaria bidwillii), also called bunya bunya, large evergreen conifer of the family Araucariaceae, native to humid areas in southeastern Queensland, Australia. The saplings are sold as houseplants in many areas, and the cream-coloured wood is used for veneers, plywood, and boxes.
Is Araucaria Cunninghamii really a pine?
Araucaria cunninghamii is a species of Araucaria known as hoop pine. Other less commonly used names include colonial pine, Queensland pine, Dorrigo pine, Moreton Bay pine and Richmond River pine….
| Araucaria cunninghamii | |
|---|---|
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Pinales |
| Family: | Araucariaceae |
| Genus: | Araucaria |
How often do Bunya Pines fruit?
three years
“Cone development is influenced by a range of environmental factors,” says Siemon. “Throughout their 17+ month development, changes in rainfall, temperature and storms can do untold damage on developing cones. Bunya pines typically have a bumper crop every two or three years.”
What is Bunya Pine used for?
Bunyas also produce highly valued timber, which is used for musical instruments. It is particularly valued as “tonewood” for producing stringed instruments’ sound boards. Saw logs for Bunyas come from plantations only, as they are protected in their national park wild habitat.
What kind of root system does a bunya tree have?
When establishing a tree of such eventual size and weight a good root system is a seriously important point to consider. When many large trees sprout, Bunya included, they send down a large main tap root, or ‘radical’ root, far into the ground, primarily as a point of anchorage.
How often do Bunya pine trees produce nuts?
Every year the trees would produce a small yield of nuts and every three years or so a bumper crop so large as to support clan gatherings of hundreds and very possibly thousands of Aboriginal people over the harvesting months.
What kind of climate does Bunya pine live in?
Bunya pine occurs naturally on soils that are basaltic in origin and in areas with an annual rainfall greater than 1000 mm. The species is able to tolerate temperatures ranging from -4°C to 40°C” (Huth 2002). Hardy to Zone 9 (cold hardiness limit between -6.6°C and -1.1°C) (Bannister and Neuner 2001).
What kind of products can Bunya pine be used for?
Bunya pine was also used for the manufacture of butter boxes and churns; broom handles; casks; blinds; piano keys; matches; masts, booms and spars of boats; and dashboards and springboards of horse-drawn vehicles” (Huth 2002).