This August, some visitors to Marimurtra have found an unexpected surprise: the path of the araucarias closed. It is not for works or maintenance, but for safety. The reason? The giant pine cones of the Araucaria bidwillii, which with the strong winds and rains of recent days have begun to fall from the heights. And we are not talking about just any pine cone: it can weigh more than 10 kg, which makes it a real natural projectile. A good reason to protect both visitors and workers!
Living fossils of the southern hemisphere
Araucarias are a genus of gymnosperm conifers with a fascinating evolutionary history. They are very ancient plants, which already populated the Earth more than 200 million years ago, and which coexisted with real dinosaurs! That is why they are often considered living fossils, since they have changed very little since that remote time.
Their current distribution also tells us a piece of the planet’s history: their origin and distribution are linked to the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. That is why today we only find them in: Australia (Queensland, Norfolk Island), New Caledonia (which is the place with the greatest diversity of species, about 13), New Guinea and the south of South America (Chile, Argentina and Brazil). There is no native species of araucaria in the northern hemisphere. The ones we can see there have been planted.
Currently, in the Marimurtra Botanical Garden we can admire up to five different species:
- Araucaria angustifolia, from southern Brazil and neighboring countries, today in serious decline in its natural habitat.
- Araucaria bidwillii, from Queensland (Australia), famous for its giant cones and valuable pine nuts.
- Araucaria columnaris, endemic to New Caledonia, with a very straight and slender habit.
- Araucaria cunninghamii, from Australia and Papua New Guinea, known for its prized wood.
- Araucaria heterophylla, originally from Norfolk Island (Australia), also very popular as an ornamental tree.
Conifers with giant cones
Like all gymnosperms, araucarias do not produce flowers or fruits. Instead, they develop cones or strobili, spectacular reproductive structures. The case of Araucaria bidwillii is particularly surprising: its cones can exceed the size of a football and contain dozens of pine nuts up to 5 centimeters long, edible and highly prized in Australia. The comparison with our small Mediterranean pine nuts makes the difference clear!
The giant of Marimurtra
Apart from having the most imposing pine cones, the Araucaria bidwillii is also the tallest tree in Marimurtra, at over 26 meters tall. Its majestic silhouette dominates the landscape of the Garden and reminds us that we are facing a species with millions of years of history.
A different forest
When we think of a forest, we often imagine a dense, shady space with a thick understory. But araucaria forests are different: they are usually light forests, with tall, widely spaced trees that let a lot of light through to the ground. This means that instead of a closed understory, meadows and grasslands grow there, creating a landscape that is more reminiscent of a natural park than a lush jungle.
Each species occupies its own habitat: Araucaria angustifolia, in southern Brazil, forms the so-called “Brazilian pine forests”, which are clear and have grass underneath; Araucaria bidwillii combines mountain forests and open areas in Queensland, Australia; and island species such as A. heterophylla or A. columnaris adapt to the coastal and windy environments of the Pacific. All of them, however, share this open and luminous structure that makes them unique.
A path closed for safety
For this reason, these days we have had to temporarily close the path of the araucarias. The fall of cones of large size and weight could pose a risk to everyone. It is a preventive measure that also allows us to explain a fascinating botanical curiosity: rarely do we have so close proof of how nature can be both majestic and powerful.
The next time you visit Marimurtra, stop in front of this path and look up. Imagine that you are contemplating plants that have survived almost intact since the age of the dinosaurs and that today continue to amaze us with their beauty and strength.