Paraná pine
Araucaria angustifolia · Araucariaceae · also Brazilian pine, Araucária, Pinheiro-do-Paraná, Candelabra tree
An unmistakable conifer, 25 to 35 m tall, whose branches rise like a candelabra to a flat crown, with sharp scale-like leaves and large cones of edible pinhão seeds sold at roadsides every winter. It once covered some 20 million hectares of the Atlantic Forest; logging reduced that by over 97 per cent and it is IUCN Critically Endangered, with logging now banned in Brazil. Planting it is encouraged in restoration and on farms, where the seeds and the azure jay (gralha-azul) that plants them are cultural icons.
Where it stands
Care
Plant in full sun in cool, frost-prone highland sites with good drainage; water through the first two summers. Growth is moderate. No pruning needed. Seed is recalcitrant and must be sown fresh. Do not cut mature trees without a permit; natural regeneration can be poor without seed dispersers.
Benefits
Good for