Araucaria bidwillii
Bunya-Bunya
a perennial woody evergreen member of the Araucaria genus in the family Araucariaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Araucariaceae
- Genus
- Araucaria
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- evergreen
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 40 m
- Fertility
- Wind
- Flower type
- monoecious
- Pollinators
- Wind
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - raw, cooked or ground into a powder[1][8][13][4][6]. Starchy and delicious, it has the texture of a waxy boiled potato with the flavour of chestnuts[6]. Large, it is an important food source for the Australian Aborigines[3]. Cones can be up to 4.5 kilos in weight and contain up to 150 seeds[1]. The germinating seed produces an underground 'earth nut' which has a coconut-like flavour[6].
- Plant part
- Seed
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Wood - soft, easily worked, high quality. Used for cabinet making, flooring, plywood etc[3]. The branches are used for fencing and fuel[10].
- Product or use
- Wood
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Canopy
Environment
- Range
- Australia - Queensland.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 9+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[2] or it can be stored cool and moist then sown February in a greenhouse[11][12]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 15°c[2]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. The plants have a rather sparse root system and are best placed in their final positions as soon as possible. Give them some protection from the cold for at least their first winter[K].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Succeeds in most soils[4]. Plants are resistant to salt spray[4]. Not very hardy outdoors in Britain, it requires a cool greenhouse in most parts of the country[1]. Some provenances should be hardy at least in the milder areas, there is one tree growing in Cornwall at Glendurgan gardens[13]. It was 10 metres tall in 1965[7]. This species is hardy to about -5°c, with occasional lows to -8°c, but it is liable to be killed in severe winters even in the Scilly Isles[9]. In Australia, each Aboriginal family would own a group of trees and these would be passed down from generation to generation[8]. This is said to be the only case of hereditary personal property owned by the Aborigines[8].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00
Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-00-216441-8
Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988-00-00 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0
Holliday. I. and Hill. R. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller Ltd. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-85179-627-3
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-11-710012-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00
McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6
Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X