Agathis australis seed

LATIN NAME: AGATHIS AUSTRALIS

COMMON NAME: Kauri

The kauri soars the great, straight trunk with the huge, rounded crown of the small, leathery leaves, the whole tree carrying the ancient, monumental look of the southern conifers. The bark flakes in the smooth, grey plates, the trunk rises clear and columnar, and the tree grows slowly into one of the tallest and the most massive of the forest giants. The small, woody cones hold the winged seeds, and the resin has been gathered from the old trees for the ages. It likes the sun, the shelter, and the deep, moist, well-drained soil.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The kauri stands among the great trees of the southern hemisphere, and the ancient conifer lineage has a recognised place in the studies of the forest giants and the New Zealand ecology. The research covers the seed biology, the slow growth of the massive trees and the health of the kauri forests, while the foresters measure the superb timber. The resin trade and the Maori history keep the species in the cultural record, and the ecologists watch the famous stands with care.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

The kauri carries a grand, historic economy on its back. The superb, straight-grained wood has served the shipbuilding, the joinery and the fine furniture for the ages, and the resin long fed the varnish and the linoleum trade. In the garden the tree brings the monumental, ancient presence, and the great crown shelters the forest beneath. The symbol of the patient, enduring growth that the forest would never forget.

The kauri seeds germinate in a coarse, sandy mix kept cool and moist. The seedlings rise slowly with the small, leathery leaves, and they grow on at their own patient pace. Keep them in the deep pots with the sharp drainage, and give them the shelter and the moist, mild air. They resent the wet feet, so keep the mix on the dry side between the waterings. The great trunk comes with the decades, and the young trees grow steadily from the start.

To grow the kauri from seed, sow the large, brown seeds singly into the deep flat of coarse, sandy mix, then cover them lightly, keep the flat in the bright, cool spot and water gently. The seedlings thread up within a few weeks, and they grow on slowly. Stand the young trees in the sheltered, moist ground, and the great trunk will soar over the years.