About Athrotaxis selaginoides D.Don
Athrotaxis selaginoides D.Don is an evergreen coniferous tree that grows 50 to 100 meters tall, with a trunk that can reach up to 2.0 meters in diameter. Its leaves are claw-shaped, measuring 7 to 18 millimeters long and 3 to 4 millimeters broad, and are arranged in a spiral pattern along shoots. Seed cones of this species are globose, 15 to 30 millimeters in diameter, and hold 20 to 30 spirally arranged scales; these cones reach maturity approximately six months after pollination. Pollen cones are 4 to 5 millimeters long. In cultivation, specimens of Athrotaxis selaginoides D.Don can be seen at The Tasmanian Arboretum. Outside of its native range, the species is occasionally grown as an ornamental tree in northwestern Europe. Bedgebury National Pinetum holds around fifty trees of this species, most of which are planted in the Conifer Conservation Project Area. The species grows successfully in Scotland, where it receives the rainfall it needs for healthy growth, and it produces fertile seeds there.
