Common Name(s): Bunya-Bunya

Synonym(s):

Family: Araucariaceae

Native To: South-east and northern Queensland, Australia

Native Habitat: Mountainous areas in subtropical rainforests

Growth Habit: Large evergreen tree

Flowering: Araucaria is a dioecious conifer; plants are either male and female and they produce male or female cones rather than flowers. Plants do not produce cones until they are 15-20 years old.

Distinguishing Characteristics: Araucaria bidwillii grows up to 150 feet high. Adult trunks are branchless for half the tree's height. The crown is dense and broadly rounded. Juvenile leaves are dark green, glossy, sharply pointed at the tip, up to 2 in long and narrow. As the tree reaches maturity, mature leaves are produced. These are smaller, about a half inch long, stiff, sharp to the touch, arranged spirally along the branches. The female fruiting cones are very large (football sized) and each contains from 50 to 100 large seeds. The cones are usually formed once every three years and fall from the tree when ripe. Because of their size and weight, falling cones can be dangerous to anyone standing below.

Natural History and Cultivation Notes: The genus name Araucaria refers to the province of Arauco in Chile, where other members of this genus are native. The species name is in honor of J.C. Bidwill (1815-1853), a botanical explorer. The fossilized trees of the Petrified Forest in Northern Arizona are close relatives to this plant.

Professor Phil Ogden in Range Management donated a the campus Bunya-Bunya after raising it as a house plant. It was initially installed in a site that provided afternoon shade, but not much in the way of fertile soil (a recent parking garage with little fertility). Still, the tree grew to over 10 feet tall over the course of 7 years. In 2006, to make room for more parking, the tree was moved to a much more humid and lush situation, on the south side of Yuma Dormitory, in the historic part of campus. With turf surrounding it, the building providing some radiant heat, and with afternoon shade, this tree has flourished!

Ethnobotany: The resinous wood is straight grained and easy to work. Therefore, it has become an important source of timber, especially for carpentry. The wood pulp is used for making paper. Its graceful form and distinctive leaves make this tree an important ornamental for frost-free locations. This is the only individual we know of on campus, but a few others can be found around Tucson. The seeds are edible and were a rich source of food for the Aborigines of south-east Queensland. During the "Bunya season" the Aborigines would temporarily set aside their tribal differences and gather in the mountains for great Bunya Nut Feasts.

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