Wollemi Pine

[Edward The Less]

Greetings!

I am interested in growing a wollemi pine in Oklahoma USA when they are made available. There are a few concerns before I do so.

First are wollemi pines invasive? Will planting a wollemi pine cause
ecological devastation to other native species of plants and animals in
Oklahoma?

Second we in Oklahoma have a severe problem with mistletoe (Viscum
album). It would seem that every tree in Oklahoma has it. Would
mistletoe be a problem for the wollemi pine?

The wollemi pine is a member of the Araucariaceae family, like the Norfolk Island pine or the Monkey Puzzle pine so I would guess if mistletoe is a problem for them it would be a problem for the wollemi pine right?

I have asked at many nurseries around the area but none even knew of the wollemi pine. I also asked about the wollemi pine at the Oklahoma State University but they they only knew of the name of the wollemi pine and had no information.

I have also checked on the internet for information such as wollemipine.com. I have also sent e-mails to the Queensland Department of Primary Industry Forestry, Queensland Forestry Research Institute, Birkdale Nursery, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, NSW National Parks & Wildlife Services, and the Global Trees Campaign, Fauna & Flora International. None of them knew the answer to these questions.

Any help you can give will be very much appreciated as no one else knows much if anything about the wollemi pine.

Oh! by the way how much do you think they will sell for when the become available in a few months? A guess will be ok just something to give me an idea.

Thank You.

 

[tomreeve]

You're probably not getting much response because the tree is new to everybody. I know very little about it but I will say that any time that a new species is introduced into an area it can become invasive. You gotta take your chances. Me personally, I would wait a while to see is some studies come out, but I am pretty millitant about this kind of stuff. Try contacting your local extension office and get them working on answers for you, that is what your taxes are paying for.
tom

 

[Chucky]

Looks like Wollemi Pines will be available for sale early next year (unless you're rich and just bought one at Sothebys for a few thousand dollars).

Wollemi Pines auctioned at Sothebys

 

[pinus]

As much as I know, wollemias were discovered in Australia 200 km from Sidney a some 10 years ago.
I cant quarantee, but a such relict species with a such small restricted area of living, rather strongly depressed, barely can be invasive
If in my location wollemia can be grown, surely not in reality, Im certainly tried it

 

[Sheshovel]

About the invasiveness who knows tell the tree is grown in some kind of quantity.As for mistletoe you can bet that if it has attacked every tree in your area,it will attack your new pine too.Though here you mostly see it in Oaks not Pines