Claim to fame

One of the world's oldest and rarest trees.

Scientific name:

Wollemia nobilis.

Family:

Araucariaceae.

Origin of name

It was named after the Wollemi National Park, the location where the Pines were first discovered. The scientific name Wollemia nobilis was in honour of the Pine's majestic qualities and the man who discovered them, David Noble.

Relatives:

Kauri, Norfolk Island, Hoop, Bunya and Monkey Puzzle pines.

Discovered:

By chance in 1994 by David Noble, a NSW National Parks and Wildlife Officer and avid bushwalker. David was bushwalking and abseiled into a deep rainforest gorge when he stumbled upon a group of ancient looking trees. They were up to 40 metres in height with main trunks of approximately one metre in diameter and featured unusual fem-like, dark green foliage with a unique pattern of branching. The bark looked like bubbling chocolate. Taken by the unusual tree, David collected a fallen branch and continued his hike.
Returning to Sydney and puzzled by the find, David sought help to identify the tree. He approached NSW National Parks and Wildlife and the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney for assistance. His report that the sample came not from a fern but from what looked like a strange, conifer-like tree, intrigued scientists Wyn Jones from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Jan Allan from Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens.
Moved by scientific curiosity, the trio returned to the site to gather more specimens and undertake research. They were astounded by the find. The trees looked like nothing any of them had ever seen before. Jan and Wyn gave the tree the working title, the Wollemi Pine.

Where:

In a secret location approx. 200km west of Sydney ( Australia ) within the Wollemi National Park, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage area.

Age:

The Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis) is a member of the Araucariaoeae family which is thought to have existed 200 million years ago at the time of the dinosaurs. It is one of the world's oldest and rarest trees and its discovery in 1994 in Sydney's Blue Mountains is considered to be a major botanical find in human history - akin to finding a dinosaur alive today. Previously, the Wollemi Pine was thought to be extinct with only fossil records remaining.

Oldest known fossil:

90 million years .

Wild population:

Less than 100 mature trees are known to exist in the Wollemi National Park and no where else in the world.

Characteristics:

Conifer with attractive, unusual dark green, foliage and bubbly bark. In the wild, the oldest trees are 40 metres in height and may be more than 1000 years old.

Growth:

Can survive temperatures from -5 to 45 degrees Celsius with further trialing being conducted in a range of climatic conditions. Responds well to low light indoor environments.

Conservation:

To protect this endangered population, the Wollemi Pine Recovery Plan (developed by Royal Botanical Gardens Sydney and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service) has identified the propagation and worldwide release of the Wollemi Pine as a key conservation strategy.