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Nothofagaceae FAMILY

Nothofagus obliqua

Nothofagus obliqua

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Tree
GrowthFast

Nothofagus obliqua is found at low to medium elevations in central and southern Chile where it can often experience frosts, though these are likely to be short-lived with temperatures falling no lower than around -8°c. The plant can also tolerate occasional short spells of snow lasting up to 2 weeks[1]. It can be damaged in severe winters when young but becomes rather hardier with age. Plants succeed at Crarae in western Scotland[2]. The plant prefers cool wet summers with mild wet winters in a temperate maritime climate[3], though it also does well in a Mediterranean climate with as little as 400mm of rain a year[3]. Prefers an open well-drained loamy soil in a sunny position[4, 3]. Succeeds on most soils, including sandy ones[5], but dislikes calcareous soils[6]. Prefers a pH between 5 and 7, but dislikes acid peats[3]. The plant succeeds remarkably well in the British Isles. It is hardy, grows well on a wide range of soils (though not on chalk), sets good crops of seed and even self-sows itself. It is also fast-growing and makes an elegant specimen. The ugly cracked bark is a defect, but in time this should give way to the handsome furrowed, richly coloured bark of maturity[6]. Natural regeneration in the wild is variable[7].. A very ornamental tree[4], it often self-sows in Britain[6]. Trees respond well to coppicing[6]. Species in this genus often have poor wind resistance in cultivation, probably because they grow so fast[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 moving plants[3]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[3].

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[3]. 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[8] whilst another says that the seed can be stored dry at 2°c for long periods[3]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 6 - 10cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame[9]. Layering. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Nothofagus+obliqua>

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]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.
  4. [4]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 ]).
  5. [5]The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers — Brickell. C. · Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. · 1990 · ISBN 0-86318-386-7 ↩︎Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
  6. [6]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.
  7. [7]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.
  8. [8]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.
  9. [9]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.
  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.