The manager of a popular Shropshire specialist plants centre has warned gardeners that the chances of buying a rare pine tree and tree ferns from Australia may be restricted if the future.
Environmental concern
Tim Robinson, from Love Plants based at Salop Leisure, Emstrey, Shrewsbury, says there is environmental concern in Australian about the increasing exports of the Wollemi Pine and Dicksonsia tree ferns.
Both plants have become popular at Love Plants, despite their expense - a five or six foot Wollemi Pine can cost around £300.
Cracking down on exports
“The Australian Government is putting pressure on to stop exports of both plants, which is bad news for gardeners here who want to plant them in their woodland garden,” said Mr Robinson. “These plants are very slow growing, which explains why they are so expensive.
“My advice to gardeners is not to wait to buy them, as they may be very difficult to get hold of in the future and the price is likely to rocket.”
Pictured above: Wendy Hayward from Love Plants with a Wollemi Pine.
A focus on conservation
The Wollemi Pine has existed for around 200 million years and was thought to be extinct, with only fossil records remaining, until 1994 when less than 100 were discovered in a deep canyon of the vast Wollemi National Park in Australia.
Now the tree is the focus of a conservation effort to give people a chance to grow their own to protect its future.
