We have grown the Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis) in our garden for over a decade now and despite the set back it experienced in winter 2010, it has recovered albeit slowly to become an attractive specimen that it is now.
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| Wollemia nobilis |
Not the fastest of growers but well worth the perseverance to grow. One amusing anecdote about the Wollemi Pine is that for many years it had the story attached to it of being very rare, or rather one of the rarest plants in the world. It was even grown inside a cage on several botanic gardens including Kew Gardens. And yet you can buy them in the gift shop even then, albeit with a hefty price tag ramped up with its romanticised back story.
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| Wollemia nobilis |
Fast forward to more recent times, its rarely seen in a cage now and readily available in garden centres in the UK. It has seemed to have also shed off of its 'rare' back story, which it can only hang on to for a limited time to begin with. Saying that recent feedback via Instagram indicates that they are still hard to come by across the pond, I wonder why...
The two photos above were taken two weeks apart, with it's 'weeping' habit the latest one, showing it's graceful change in habit as it grows out new leaves.
Mark :-)
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
I've never seen the plant here and, when I looked it up, I was surprised to see it identified as suitable to USDA zones 9-11. I'm in zone 11a and it's rare (no pun intended) to see plants listed for this zone. However, the summary I read also said that it requires acidic soil, which I most definitely don't have.
ReplyDeleteWell worth looking into. Our soil is neutral on chalk/alkaline and seems to be doing ok.
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