Austrocedrus chilensis
Austrocedrus chilensis
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Austrocedrus chilensis is found mainly in the Andes of Chile and Argentina at latitudes from 32 - 43° south[1]. It is said to be ale to tolerate occasionall temperatures falling to around -8°c, and occasional snow cover. It tolerates drier areas with an annual rainfall of 400 - 800mm (mainly in the winter) and a dry season of 3 - 5 months, though it also grows in more humid areas with year round rainfall up to 1,500mm329]. An easily grown tree, growing best in a sunny position in a well-drained, preferably slightly acid soil[2]. It is found wild in a wide range of soils that can vary from very poor, even rocks in steep slopes, to plane and shallow clayish soils in the valleys or deep soils of volcanic ash. It grows best on wet, deep soils in the wild[3]. Trees often grow gregariously, forming small, almost pure stands. Natural regeneration is generally good[3]. This is generally a moderately slow-growing species[2, 3]. A long-lived tree, specimens up to 1,500 years old have been recorded[1]. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[4].
Propagation
Seed - requires a period of cold stratification and so is best sown in the autumn and placed in a cold frame. Stored seed can be mixed with moist sand and then stored in a plastic bag in a refrigerater at 2 - 5°c for 30 - 90 days prior to sowing[2]. Sow the seed in a container, pricking out the seedlinds into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow on until the plants are around 20 - 30cm tall before planting them in their permanent positions. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Austrocedrus+chilensis>
Pollinators
Wind
References
- [1]IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ↩︎A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
- [2]ChileFlora — http://www.chileflora.com/index.html ↩︎Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
- [3]South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species. — Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J. · Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization · 1979 · ISBN 0 643 02582 0 ↩︎A very useful guide.
- [4]The Gymnosperm Database — http://www.conifers.org/index.htm ↩︎A vast amount of information on conifers and families of gymnosperms.