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Nothofagaceae FAMILY

Nothofagus betuloides

Nothofagus betuloides

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Tree
GrowthFast

Nothofagus betuloides is fairly hardy - in its native habitat it can experience temperatures as low as -15 to -20°c and experiences snow for 1 - 8 months of the year[1]. A 30 year old cultivated tree (1992) has made remarkable growth at Crarae in western Scotland[2]. Prefers an open well-drained loamy soil in a sunny position[3, 4]. Dislikes exposure to cold, drying winds[5]. Succeeds on most soils but dislikes calcareous soils[4]. Prefers a pH between 5 and 7, but dislikes acid peats[4]. Species in this genus often have poor wind resistance in cultivation, probably because they grow so fast[5]. This species dislikes cold winds but is tolerant of warm moist winds[6]. Trees up to 4 metres tall can be successfully established, though the optimum size for transplanting is about 30 - 80cm. The roots are very sensitive to desiccation and extreme care should be taken when transplanting them[4]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[4].

Propagation

The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cool greenhouse or cold frame. Spring-sown seed requires 2 - 3 months stratification at 1 - 5°c[4]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed must not be allowed to dry out according to one report[7] whilst another says that the seed can be stored dry at 2°c for long periods[4]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 6 - 10cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame[8]. Layering. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Nothofagus+betuloides>

Pollinators

Wind

References

  1. [1]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.
  2. [2]Letter from Crarae Garden, March 1993. — - · 1993 · ISBN - ↩︎A list Nothofagus species growing at Crarae Garden in Scotland.
  3. [3]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  4. [4]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  5. [5]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  6. [6]The Milder Garden. — Taylor. J. · Dent · 1990 ↩︎A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
  7. [7]Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. — McMillan-Browse. P. · Grower Books · 1985 · ISBN 0-901361-21-6 ↩︎Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.
  8. [8]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  9. [9]Flora of Tierra del Fuego. — Moore. D. M. · Anthony Nelson. · 1983 · ISBN 0-904614-05-0 ↩︎Standard work for this part of S. America. Excellent details of habitat and a few notes on plant uses.
  10. [10]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
  11. [11]A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. — Usher. G. · Constable · 1974 · ISBN 0094579202 ↩︎Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.