The Bunya Pine: A Strange, Impressive, and Useful Tree..
Bushfood or Bush Tucker
Bunya pine nuts are a wonderful food resource that often goes unused. A growing number of people are becoming interested in the nuts as bushfood, however. Bushfood is also known as bush tucker. It was originally collected or hunted in the wild by the indigenous people of Australia. Collecting bushfood is a similar idea to the process of foraging in the wild areas of North America.
When nuts are available, they're sold at roadside stands in some parts of Australia. The seeds inside the nuts can either be eaten whole or ground to make a flour or paste. The flour is used to make pancakes, breads, cakes, and other baked products.
Importance of the Tree to Indigenous People
The aboriginal people of Australia once considered bunya pines to be sacred plants. The trees were so important to their culture that cutting one down was illegal according to their laws.
Every three years, when the yield of nuts peaked, huge numbers of indigenous people would gather to celebrate the harvest and feast on the nuts. On at least some occasions, thousands of people would travel as far as hundreds of kilometres to reach the celebration. The event was traditionally held in the Bunya Mountains of Queensland. The local people collected the nuts and either cooked them right away or stored them underground to improve their flavor.
The gathering was also used for socialization between different groups and for important events, such as trading, the arrangement of marriages, and the settlement of disputes. Tribal differences were temporarily set aside during the celebration. According to the Queensland Museum, the last of the traditional Bunya Gatherings is thought to have been held in 1902.
The Bunya Dreaming Festival
In recent years, a festival known as Bunya Dreaming has been held in Australia. This event began in 2007. It's a celebration of all things bunya and is held in memory of the older festivals. Many different foods made from bunya seeds are on display. The festival also includes cone gathering activities, husking competitions, weight-guessing events, music performances, story telling events, and displays of art made from cones.
A Bunya Dreaming festival was held in January, 2015. According to the event's Facebook page, the nut crop wasn't very good in 2016, so no festival was held in that year. The festival was also absent in 2017. The 2018, 2019, and 2020 events were held, however. Although the 2021 event was cancelled, the tradition of holding a festival when the nut crop is good appears to be alive and well.
Population Status of the Bunya Pine
The bunya pine grows slowly and lives for a long time—perhaps for six hundred years or more. There is a lot that is still unknown about the plant. It's not a threatened species at the moment, though as explained below a problem that might become serious has developed. The National Arboretum Canberra says the "active conservation" of the tree is important because of its value to indigenous people and the problems that may develop due to climate change.
According to the arboretum, the tree is harvested to some extent. The harvesting process appears to be sustainable and to be done in plantations. The wood of the tree is used to create the soundboard of some guitars and to make furniture. I've seen reports of people creating other items from fallen trees that they've discovered. Bunya pine wood is appreciated by professional and amateur woodworkers.
Disease and a Phytophthora Infection
A worrying situation with respect to the bunya pine population has appeared. At the end of 2019, investigators announced that the populations of the bunya pine and the hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii) were "rapidly declining" in the Bunya Mountains National Park. The trees are turning yellow and dying.
The cause of the problem is believed to be an infection by Phytophthora, an organism that resembles a fungus but is classified as an oomycete, or a water mold. Oomycetes live in both water and wet soil. They reproduce by producing spores, which can survive drier conditions.
Phytophthora multivora has been found in tissue from diseased bunya pines. According to one person familiar with the situation, the mold has likely been present in the tree’s population for a decade but flared up two or three years ago.Growing a Bunya Pine
The bunya pine can be an interesting tree to grow as an ornamental plant and as a source of food, though I've never done this myself. The tree grows slowly, so it's sometimes used as an indoor plant. It eventually needs to be planted outdoors, however.
Germination
Since germination can take so long, some people prefer to buy a bunya pine as a seedling rather than as a seed. There is a special joy in seeing a seed germinate, but this joy may be postponed for a long time when someone plants a bunya pine seed.
The early growth of the plant follows an interesting pattern. When the seed germinates, it sends a taproot downward. The root often continues its penetration into the soil until it hits a hard surface. It then forms an enlarged tuber. The tuber may enter dormancy until conditions are right for growth. At this point, lateral roots and a shoot are produced.
After Germination
The tree prefers full sun but tolerates some cold. It needs to be watered regularly but must be planted in well drained soil. The location for the tree needs to be considered carefully, since it will grow very tall and could eventually produce heavy and potentially dangerous cones. The area around the plant needs to be protected so that the female cones don't damage property or injure people as they drop.
Even though safety precautions are necessary and there is an extended time before plant maturity, growing a bunya pine sounds like a worthwhile activity. The tree is certainly a noteworthy plant. I hope the Phytophthora problem is solved soon. The bunya pine is an interesting component of life on Earth.
Bunya pine nuts are a wonderful food resource that often goes unused. A growing number of people are becoming interested in the nuts as bushfood, however. Bushfood is also known as bush tucker. It was originally collected or hunted in the wild by the indigenous people of Australia. Collecting bushfood is a similar idea to the process of foraging in the wild areas of North America.
When nuts are available, they're sold at roadside stands in some parts of Australia. The seeds inside the nuts can either be eaten whole or ground to make a flour or paste. The flour is used to make pancakes, breads, cakes, and other baked products.
Importance of the Tree to Indigenous People
The aboriginal people of Australia once considered bunya pines to be sacred plants. The trees were so important to their culture that cutting one down was illegal according to their laws.
Every three years, when the yield of nuts peaked, huge numbers of indigenous people would gather to celebrate the harvest and feast on the nuts. On at least some occasions, thousands of people would travel as far as hundreds of kilometres to reach the celebration. The event was traditionally held in the Bunya Mountains of Queensland. The local people collected the nuts and either cooked them right away or stored them underground to improve their flavor.
The gathering was also used for socialization between different groups and for important events, such as trading, the arrangement of marriages, and the settlement of disputes. Tribal differences were temporarily set aside during the celebration. According to the Queensland Museum, the last of the traditional Bunya Gatherings is thought to have been held in 1902.
The Bunya Dreaming Festival
In recent years, a festival known as Bunya Dreaming has been held in Australia. This event began in 2007. It's a celebration of all things bunya and is held in memory of the older festivals. Many different foods made from bunya seeds are on display. The festival also includes cone gathering activities, husking competitions, weight-guessing events, music performances, story telling events, and displays of art made from cones.
A Bunya Dreaming festival was held in January, 2015. According to the event's Facebook page, the nut crop wasn't very good in 2016, so no festival was held in that year. The festival was also absent in 2017. The 2018, 2019, and 2020 events were held, however. Although the 2021 event was cancelled, the tradition of holding a festival when the nut crop is good appears to be alive and well.
Population Status of the Bunya Pine
The bunya pine grows slowly and lives for a long time—perhaps for six hundred years or more. There is a lot that is still unknown about the plant. It's not a threatened species at the moment, though as explained below a problem that might become serious has developed. The National Arboretum Canberra says the "active conservation" of the tree is important because of its value to indigenous people and the problems that may develop due to climate change.
According to the arboretum, the tree is harvested to some extent. The harvesting process appears to be sustainable and to be done in plantations. The wood of the tree is used to create the soundboard of some guitars and to make furniture. I've seen reports of people creating other items from fallen trees that they've discovered. Bunya pine wood is appreciated by professional and amateur woodworkers.
Disease and a Phytophthora Infection
A worrying situation with respect to the bunya pine population has appeared. At the end of 2019, investigators announced that the populations of the bunya pine and the hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii) were "rapidly declining" in the Bunya Mountains National Park. The trees are turning yellow and dying.
The cause of the problem is believed to be an infection by Phytophthora, an organism that resembles a fungus but is classified as an oomycete, or a water mold. Oomycetes live in both water and wet soil. They reproduce by producing spores, which can survive drier conditions.
Phytophthora multivora has been found in tissue from diseased bunya pines. According to one person familiar with the situation, the mold has likely been present in the tree’s population for a decade but flared up two or three years ago.Growing a Bunya Pine
The bunya pine can be an interesting tree to grow as an ornamental plant and as a source of food, though I've never done this myself. The tree grows slowly, so it's sometimes used as an indoor plant. It eventually needs to be planted outdoors, however.
Germination
Since germination can take so long, some people prefer to buy a bunya pine as a seedling rather than as a seed. There is a special joy in seeing a seed germinate, but this joy may be postponed for a long time when someone plants a bunya pine seed.
The early growth of the plant follows an interesting pattern. When the seed germinates, it sends a taproot downward. The root often continues its penetration into the soil until it hits a hard surface. It then forms an enlarged tuber. The tuber may enter dormancy until conditions are right for growth. At this point, lateral roots and a shoot are produced.
After Germination
The tree prefers full sun but tolerates some cold. It needs to be watered regularly but must be planted in well drained soil. The location for the tree needs to be considered carefully, since it will grow very tall and could eventually produce heavy and potentially dangerous cones. The area around the plant needs to be protected so that the female cones don't damage property or injure people as they drop.
Even though safety precautions are necessary and there is an extended time before plant maturity, growing a bunya pine sounds like a worthwhile activity. The tree is certainly a noteworthy plant. I hope the Phytophthora problem is solved soon. The bunya pine is an interesting component of life on Earth.
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24 February 2023
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