Xilman's Journal: A new arrival!

One of my monkey puzzle (Araucaria Araucana) seeds sprouted yesterday afternoon. There was no sign of life at lunchtime but by 6pm several mm of green was showing. It has about doubled in height since, to around 10mm. Looks like these things grow quite quickly when they get started.

I don't know whether the baby is a little boy or a little girl and I'm unlikely to find out for another fifty or sixty years unless DNA sequencing becomes cheap and easy.

Back in late August I visited Sowerby Hall, near Bridlington on the East Yorkshire coast. In the grounds there is a stand of mature Monkey Puzzles, several of which had either male or female cones on them. Quite a few nuts had fallen but most had been eaten by squirrels. I rescued eleven of them, two of which had been slightly nibbled but looked as if they may be viable. All eleven have been in moist compost since returning home just four months ago now.