Captain cook's pine - Araucaria cookii

Description and Uses

Araucaria cookii (Captain cook's pine) is a tropical tree from Polonesia. It is mainly grown for its ornamental crops (medium shelflife), but also

can be produced. The crop is harvested by total removing. It starts flowering after 24 - 30 years. The first yield will be 8 kg/tree/year but in its top season there will be a yield of 20 kg/tree/year.

. Medical uses include;

The - contains - n/a - (_ - _). There is Cookii pine oil extracted by steam distillation from the tree`s seed/nut yielding 26 - 33% oil. The tree`s wood is called Captain cook's pine wood and has a density of 450 - 600 kg/m³. Regarding firewood production the tree`s growing speed is very slow, its energetic value is 4750 ckal/kg and the wood`s drying speed is medium; for firewood production it is not ideal. After 90 years the tree can be totally removed as it reached its commercial and ecological goal. Araucaria cookii has a lifespan of 400 years.

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Environmental limitations

The tree is 58 meters tall. It is very slow growing and tolerates not less light than full sun. Araucaria cookii has a shallow root-system and forms symbiotic relations

(ecto-mycorrhiza). It is not able to fix nitrogen. The tree`s flower-morphology is dioecious and is pollinated by wind. Araucaria cookii is evergreen and not allelopathic and has thorns.

Araucaria cookii thrives in an altitude of 0 to 1800 meters above sea-level (tropical). The minimum temperature is 5°C and optimally between 17 - 32°C. The optimal rainfall is 2250 mm/year. Without irrigation the annual rainfall should be between 750 - 3000 mm (L/m²). The optimal soil-pH is between 6.0 - 8.0 in a soil texture of loam. To salt it is a bit tolerant to wind tolerant and to fire a bit tolerant.

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Pests and Diseases

and

diseases.

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Seed Propagation

Seeds are recalcitrant and can be stored for 6 months. There are approximative 75 seeds/kg. Unfortunately propagation instruction is missing.

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