Bunya bunya might be the single most ancient thing growing here, and also possibly the most dangerous to stand under once it matures.
The Basics
Bunya bunya, Araucaria bidwillii, isn’t actually a pine despite the common name, it’s an Araucaria, the last surviving member of an ancient lineage that’s been around since the Jurassic.
Origin and Habitat
Native to Queensland, Australia, where it can grow up to about 150 feet. Fossils of relatives in this genus have turned up as far away as Europe and South America, evidence of just how much older this lineage is than most of what we plant.
What It Looks Like
Tall and imposing with pokey, almost reptilian looking leaves, and huge cones that can weigh around 20 pounds, containing edible kernels that look like giant pine nuts.
Uses and Flavor
The kernels inside those massive cones are the whole point, roasted or boiled similar to other large pine nuts. Historically, Aboriginal Australians would travel long distances every two to seven years to gather at the Bunya Mountains for the harvest, using the occasion to settle disputes, arrange marriages, hold ceremonies, and trade, with individual family groups owning and passing down specific groves of trees.
Growing It Here
Got this one from Joe, and it’s planted growing steadily between our apple bananas and ice cream bean. It’s really healthy at this point, and the plan going forward is to open up more sun for it so it can actually start to take off, since this species wants to eventually punch through the canopy on its way to 150 feet.
Pests and Diseases to Watch For
No pests to speak of, but the real hazard here is mechanical rather than biological, those 20 pound cones can fall without warning once the tree matures.
Kenta’s Take
A tree old enough to predate flowering plants as we know them, with a harvest tradition that shaped entire social calendars for Aboriginal communities. Hard to look at this one as just another tree in the ground, especially now that it’s healthy and about to get the extra sun it needs to really start moving.