We recently 'defused' our Auricaria Bidwillii and now have over TEN cones. Four years ago, while I was cultivating a plot near the tree, I heard a thud and not 2 feet from me and on top of a bent I beam level, there was a cone. After watching the cones develop over the past year, I decided that they were too dangerous and had them removed.
Goodness! In Australia, they have signs all around the trees warning people to STAY AWAY to avoid being brained. I gave a cone to my niece who is an environmental educator in Alabama, and she loves to wow the little kids with it. They are pretty amazing. If you have an extra, I would love to have it. Let me know.
Our 50-year old 40-foot Auricaria produced 19 cones this year which we had to have removed by an arborist, as they were precariously located in near our patio and imposed a danger. Unfortunately we live in Oakland, CA. I did send several to our local Merritt College horticulture center and they were quite thrilled. Any suggestions of what to do with them? Right now they are an interesting topic of conversation.
