Crown Jewel: Wollemi pine

A living fossil

In nature, the Wollemi pine only grows in two narrow valleys in the Blue Mountains, 200 km from the Australian metropolis of Sydney. In 1994, David Noble, a park ranger and fervent hiker, discovered the trees. Until then, this primitive conifer was only known as a fossil. The approximately 60 full-grown trees are the last surviving specimens of this living fossil. In prehistoric times, the Wollemi pine had a much larger area of distribution. Only these two small groups survived the climatic changes.

Relation to other conifers

The Wollemi pine belongs to the Araucariaceae family, a group of primitive conifers that came into being approx. 200 million years ago. Most of the species in this plant group are now extinct. Another, well-known member of this family is the monkey-puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana).

Protection, cultivation, and dispersal

A species that has very few specimens growing in a small area, like the Wollemi pine, is very vulnerable. A storm or disease is sufficient to exterminate it. A cultivation project has been initiated to prevent such extinction. The Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney first researched the possibilities of propagating the species by means of seeds and cuttings. By cultivating many offspring and dispersing them all over the world, the risk of extinction decreases. Large-scale cultivation is currently being performed by a professional grower: Wollemi Pine International Pty Ltd. In fact, thousands of young Wollemi pines have been cultivated since the discovery. At the moment, these plants are under lock and key; however, this will change. In 2006, they will be sold worldwide. Plant lovers can then buy their own Wollemi pine and, in this way, help preserve this extraordinary tree. In a few botanic gardens around the world specimens of the Wollemi pine are displayed as an example. The Hortus is the first garden in the Netherlands to display this extraordinary plant. The area where the Wollemi pine was found is now a national park: Wollemi National Park. Part of the proceeds from the plant sale will help finance this park.