Skip to content
sintropia.club
PT EN

Plants

paraná pine

Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze

Family: Araucariaceae · Genus: Araucaria

candelabra tree

Climax Emergent Mulch biomass
Germano Roberto Schüür · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

Conifer native to southern Brazil, an iconic emergent of highland Atlantic Forest. Rebello cites it among emergent-stratum representatives in climax systems. Its pine-nut (pinhão) is a staple food of the biome. Threatened by historical deforestation; cold- and frost-tolerant — adapted to Cfa/Cfb climates.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Climax
Ecological role
Climax
Primary stratum
Emergent
Strata
Emergent
Biomass class
Mulch biomass

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
Low
Soil pH range
5.5–6.5
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Clayey
Hardiness zones
8–11
Frost tolerance
-8.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
25–50 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Slow
Lifespan
200–700 years
Time to first harvest
144 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Paraná pine takes the Emergent stratum in the Climax phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

Design my guild

Free account — and the catalog stays open, no sign-up needed.

Emergent · ≈50 m High Medium Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Prefers deep, moist but well-drained, medium-textured, slightly acid soils (pH 5.5–6.5) with 1,500–2,000 mm annual rainfall. Root system is sparse. Dioecious, wind-pollinated; recalcitrant seeds lose viability fast — sow soon after harvest (germinate in 1–2 months). New growth is severely damaged at 0 °C and mature plants die below −5 °C, but it withstands moderate frost well.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: September, October, November

Fruiting months: April, May, June, July

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of paraná pine?

The first harvest of paraná pine comes around 144 months after planting.

How tall does paraná pine grow?

At maturity, paraná pine reaches 25–50 m tall.

When does paraná pine fruit?

Fruiting of paraná pine occurs in April, May, June, July.

When does paraná pine flower?

Flowering of paraná pine occurs in September, October, November.

What stage and stratum does paraná pine occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, paraná pine belongs to the climax stage, occupying the emergent stratum.

Functions

🌰 Nut Timber 🌿 Biomass producer Ritual

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Rebello, J. F. S. (2018) — Princípios da Agricultura Sintrópica, EcoAgri , p. 14 (primary_stratum, gotsch_stage)
  2. Useful Tropical Plants — Araucaria angustifolia (ph_min, ph_max, height_min_m, height_max_m, root_system, water_need, drought_tolerance, frost_tolerance_c, propagation, soil_texture_preference, cultivation_notes)
  3. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze (phenology)

External references

Continue exploring

Related plants