Wollemi Pine Availability

[silkworm]

I don't know how many here are following this but I've been waiting for these to become available in the US for about 6 months. Unfortunately I'm going to have to wait longer, but the UKer's here appear to be lucky enough to get one next month.

 

Once thought to be long extinct, this ancient species was discovered endangered in Australia. Now, the Australians are selling as much of it as the can to try to keep its numbers up. Why would I want one? What's not to love?

 

http://www.wollemipine.com/

 

It's ancient:

 

It has strange bark:

 

And you can tell by looking at it it's not your average pine:

 

Here's a note on availability oustide of Australia:

Europe

Proven Winners Europe (PW Europe) will be distributing the Wollemi Pine in Europe and is expecting that plants will be available from mid 2006 at premium garden centers throughout Europe as well as via mail-order sales at special Wollemi Pine web sites in specific European countries. To date' date=' a German web site has been set up and other language sites are in development.

Web: http://germany.wollemipine.com

Contact: [email']alexander.kientzler@kientzler.de[/email]

 

UK

Kernock Park Plants (part of the Proven Winners Europe group) based in Cornwall will be coordinating the distribution of the Wollemi Pine in the UK. The Pines are expected to be available from April/May 2006 and will return royalties to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. UK residents can place orders now.

Web: http://www.wollemipine.co.uk

Contact: Mark Taylor at business@kernock.co.uk

 

US/Canada

We are conducting hardiness and export trials with a planned release for late 2006. Stay tuned to this newsletter for more updates.

 

Japan

Flower Auction Japan, the distributor for the Wollemi Pine in Japan will be releasing the Wollemi Pine in early Summer 2006. A range of activities are planned for the release including the display of the Pine at the 3rd International Tokyo Flower Expo (IFEX). As 2006 is the International Year of Exchange between Australia and Japan, the Wollemi Pine is set to become a symbol of these celebrations.

Web: http://japan.wollemipine.com or

Contact: ytanaka@faj.co.jp

 

New Zealand

The Wollemi Pine is set to become the first new registered plant in New Zealand since 1998 with the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA New Zealand) approving the importation of the ancient and rare species in 2005. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) protocols are yet to be finalised but it is expected that New Zealanders should be able to acquire their own Wollemi Pines by 2007. Ambrosia Nursery in Christchurch will be coordinating the distribution of the Pine in NZ. For more information, please contact: greg@ambrosia.net.nz.

 

For those inside Australia, you should be able to get one April 1st.

 

I like what the Australians are doing here, but I have no idea how much one of these are going for and where the money goes when they get it. Hopefully it funds similar efforts.

[gcol]

And what tests have been done to ensure it has no long term effects on indiginous species? All very warm and kissy for tree-huggers. Who will you blame when it all goes pearshaped? Perhaps there was a damn good reason it could not cut the mustard as a species

[ecoli]

And what tests have been done to ensure it has no long term effects on indiginous species? All very warm and kissy for tree-huggers. Who will you blame when it all goes pearshaped? Perhaps there was a damn good reason it could not cut the mustard as a species

 

I guess the tree-huggers are under the impressioned that if a species is endangered, it must be due to human intervention. Not that I can really blame them for adopting such a philosophy.

[Aardvark]

Perhaps there was a damn good reason it could not cut the mustard as a species

 

The Wollemi pine has cut the mustard as a species.

 

200 million years and still here. That's a pretty impressive record.

[m4rc]

I like what the Australians are doing here, but I have no idea how much one of these are going for and where the money goes when they get it. Hopefully it funds similar efforts.

 

From http://www.wollemipine.com/news/global_launch.php "The average price for a single tree was approximately A$3,600". They also mention that (at least some of) the money raised goes toward various conservative efforts.

 

Many of the botanical gardens in Australia have one or two of these wollomi pines. They are usually protected by a fence/cage, but you can get a good look at it.