Araucaria angustifolia (Brazilian Pine Tree)

Araucaria angustifolia (Brazilian Pine Tree) is an evergreen conifer of narrow, pyramidal habit in youth, becoming flat-topped with age. The branches are horizontal with branchlets arranged in whorls of 4–8. The leaves are thick, tough, scale-like, and triangular, up to 2.4 in. long (6 cm), and with sharp edges and tips. They persist 10 to 15 years and cover most of the tree except for the trunk and older branches. The bark is finely scaly and resinous, with horizontal striation. Brazilian Pine Tree is dioecious, with the male and female cones on separate trees. The female cones, up to 10 in long (25 cm), are globular, maturing in 2–3 years after pollination. The male cones, up to 7 in. long (18 cm), are oblong. The seeds, similar to large pine nuts, are edible, and extensively harvested in southern Brazil. A slow-growing, but long-lived species, Araucaria angustifolia is a popular garden tree in subtropical regions.

• Grows up to 80-100 ft. tall (24-30 m) and 20-25 ft. wide (6-8 m).
• Performs best in full sun or part shade in moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soils. Prefers a slightly acidic soil.
• Generally pest and disease free. Keep an eye our for honey fungus.
• No routine pruning necessary. Remove diseased, damaged, congested or crossing shoots.
• 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.
• Native to Brazil, Argentina.