Chilean Araucaria (Araucaria araucana)

The Araucaria auracana 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 the Araucaria auracana

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Female inflorescences// Image – Flickr/ Martin Cooper Ipswich

Male inflorescences// Image – Flickr/ Sciadopitys

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

It can reach heights of up to 50 meters, with a more or less straight trunk about 3 meters thick, and a crown that branches several meters from the ground, made up 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, with female feet and male feet, differing above all by the inflorescences, the former being more showy by acquiring a small ball shape, and the latter more elongated and brown.

How is it cared for?

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 space to grow, therefore, 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.
Pot: you can fill it with universal substrate (on sale here ) or substrate for acidophilic plants (on sale here ) mixed with 30% perlite (on sale here ).

Irrigation

Image – Wikimedia/ Rokfaith

The Araucaria araucana 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. Anyway, 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 are not fertilized, and orchids that have their own specific fertilizer). There are various formulas, granules, liquids or powders, but always, always, the instructions specified on the container must be followed. Buy it here.
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.

Multiplication

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

Seeds

Image – Wikimedia/ Bsea

If you live in an area where frosts are registered and the maximum temperature during the winter season is around 15ºC, you can sow the seeds directly in pots with substrate for acidophilic plants or for seedlings, you bury them a little (more than nothing so that they are not very exposed to the sun), and you water.

But if you live in a warmer area, you should sow 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 of about 40cm long is cut, then the base is impregnated with rooting hormones 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 down to -18ºC, but 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 it lives wonderfully in places like the Mediterranean region (with mild frosts down to -2ºC -do not worry, it lasts a lot longer – and maximum of 38ºC), and about 7km in a straight line from the sea.