I just returned from visiting my daughter who lives in Sointula, BC Canada and I brought home some monkey tree seed pods. My question is now what do I do with them. I would like to start a tree. Will it grow in Michigan or is it to cold here?
You guessed it, too cold in Michigan for Monkey Puzzle trees. Germination is easy in a loose, coarse mix after some stratification. Cheers, LPN.
IF the seed pods are fertile, germination, from what I understand, requires soil temperatures around 75*F. I used a small heating pad under an inexpensive plastic seed germinating tray (found at most garden centers). My Agathis robusta seedlings were germinated this way. Mine took a little over a week to germinate, but some seeds can take as long as 2 months. Now, will it grow in Michigan? Yes, if you can keep it in a container, kept small, and can manage to bring it indoors when overnight temperatures start to drop near 40*F. Many tropical and subtropical trees can and are sold as "houseplants". Agathis species, Wollemia, and Araucaria species seem to do fairly well indoors. They make nice "patio plants" when the weather warms up.
Please let me know where you were able to obtain viable Agathis robusta seeds. The ones I recently bought were too old to germinate.
Many of the local Monkey puzzle trees do not have viable seeds, because they need another tree of the opposite sex nearby,they are dioecious as are Populus,Taxus,Aucuba, Ginko..
I also live in Michigan. It does get cold here! Nevertheless, two summers ago I planted a monkey-puzzle tree in the backyard. I keep it covered in during the winter months. The first winter resulted in little damage. This last winter was especially cold here (and it seemed rather long). As a result, the needles sustained damage, browned tips; however, it remains alive --here in Michigan.
Ginko, I am in Byron Center. A few miles south of you. Small world. Fruitbasket Flowerland on 28th St. in Kentwood did have a nice "Monkey Puzzle" tree they were selling a few years back. It was about 3ft/1meter tall at the time. Yours now? For you other readers, we are in zone 5 and it was quite an anomoly to see any Araucaria species for sale at a local nursery. I've never seen one for sale, before or since. Ircorruc, I know of a mail order nursery in Oregon that is growing Agathis robusta. Forest Farm nursery. Sorry, not intended to "SPAM". However, I have dealt with them in the past, they have always served me well, and the plants have been excellent condition.
Mark: I am happy to hear of your success and proximity. This is my second try with growing monkey puzzle trees. The first time, they survived quite well; however, some creature nibbled around the stems, killing them. I suspect rabbits. For my second trial, I keep the sapling (just one this time) within fencing. I have never seen one for sale at Fruit Basket, though would have loved to have purchased one that size. Mine isn't that tall yet and doesn't seem to grow very fast. Nevertheless, I think we both prove that the literature is somewhat misleading. While I am unsure how hardy they are, the trees have proven that they can endure a Michigan winter. Agathis robusta does look interesting, though seems rather tropical. Wollemia nobilis has just entered the market and I've been eying that. To me it looks like a cross between Araucaria and Cunninghanmia. I have ordered a Sequoiadendron, though these have been grown in Michigan for some time. As you might have guessed, my favorite are Ginkgoes; I guess I have an infinity to plants with antiquity. Good luck and happy growing John "Ginkgo"
Gingko, Being in zone 5 seems to limit what we can and cannot grow. However, I am a firm believer in creating "microenvironments"...whether it be wrapping the plants, a winter coldhouse, protection via windbreaks, surrounding the plants with thermal mass (heavy stone), and/or simply doing bonsai and bringing the plants indoors during the cold winter months. I just mail-ordered 5 small, flowering, African pachycaul/caudiciform trees today. Nobody should tell us what we can/cannot grow, the plants didn't read the planting zone guides, and I am not going to tell them (laughing). Wollemia nobillis has received quite a bit of attention lately, and rightfully so, but as you know, Gingkos and Dawn Redwoods had a similar effect within the community many years ago. Prices are definitely reflecting supply/demand. I will likely wait a few years and they'll probably show up at local nurseries in North America at a significantly lower price.
