The Wollemi Pine - a tree from the past
Just a decade ago (1994), former field officer with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW) David Noble discovered this then unknown tree. Soon it was found, that it is not only a new species but a new genus. New isn't to be taken literally, though, because Wollemia Nobilis isn't new at all. In fact, it's a remnant of former times whose last known fossils are at least two million years old and that was thought to be extinct. It's a living fossil that doesn't appear anywhere else in the wild than in this small hidden canyon somewhere in New South Wales. To have an own specimen of this rare plant (recovery plans are already running) is only comparable to having a coelacanth in your aquarium.
Since a few months it's possible to purchase Wollemi Pines in the free market. All specimen are clones from the original trees in Australia (who also share the same genes), and hatched from tissue cultures. Our tree has an approximate height of 30 cm and it will be very exciting to watch it grow at our home. Its home is a balcony, already populated with various ferns, a small Araucaria heterophylla, and various other plants. We'll keep an eye on this little tree and note down its development, how it does respond to our climate, feeding and care. So come back often and share our experience!