Bunya Pine (forum)

Carolyn starts with ...
Question? I have just taken out the nut from the bunya cone but it was hollow inside except for a dried up piece haning from the top - The cone was still green - has the cone been on the ground for too long or is it another reason


Time: 14th February 2011 2:14pm

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About the Author Carolyn3
Pine Mountain
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Tansy says...
Bunya nuts have a starchy middle. I would say something has eaten the insides.

Time: 19th February 2011 12:12pm

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About the Author Tansy
Moorina, SE Qld
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
Often the bunya pine will set a cone with very few filled seeds inside, possibly due to wetter than normal weather affecting pollination. There is a history of them having a bumper third yearly crop, that was when local tribes traditionally had their bunyabunya feasts so it might be just an "off " year this time around.

Time: 19th February 2011 2:00pm

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About the Author PhilTyalgum2
Murwillumbah
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BJ says...
Yes, it is an off year this year. I've still got around 40 cones from 1 tree. Might get 100 in the on year. Have heard a few people talk about unpollinated hollow seeded cones this year, but I've not found one yet...

Time: 19th February 2011 9:58pm

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
Brisbane
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amanda says...
That's interesting guys - a professional permaculturalist down the road here - is thinking of pulling out all her stone pines. She has quite a few and she/they have done everything right - but there is no pollination happening due to the local conditions (likely to hot/dry).
It's a shame for her as the trees are quite mature.

Time: 20th February 2011 10:48am

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About the Author amanda19
Gerladton. Mid West WA
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Phil@Tyalgum says...
I would have thought stone pines would thrive in the mediterranean climate there Amanda - they even grow commercially in North Africa and Turkey. Cones can take three years from pollination to fully ripen and shed the nuts.

Time: 20th February 2011 11:37am

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
Murwillumbah
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amanda says...
Hi Phil - 3yrs!? No wonder they are so expensive. Maybe it's not humid enuf' here at the right time.....everything else seems fine. What's the ususal pollinator?

Time: 20th February 2011 11:42pm

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About the Author amanda19
Gerladton. Mid West WA
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Peter Denton says...
The wonderful thing about the bunya pine we planted about 12 years ago is the number of small birds that nest in it - it is so prickly they obviously feel safe from predators, especially cats!
It is also a very stately tree, but no fruit yet.
Peter Denton
Author
The Feast of the Bunya (Pembrooke Press)
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 22nd February 2011 10:27am

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About the Author Peter Denton
Pembrooke
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Jason says...
My largest Bunya is only about 9 foot tall and besides looking so magnificent that I don't even care if it has nuts or not it's already got bird nests in it :D. I think everyone that has the room for one should have a Bunya

Time: 22nd February 2011 11:44am

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Original Post was last edited: 22nd February 2011 11:44am

About the Author Jason
Portland
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Ady says...
I planted a Bunya yesterday. how long will it take to start having cones ?


Time: 31st July 2011 8:37am

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About the Author Ady
Hoddles Creek , Vic
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snottiegobble says...
Hope youre a young person Ady, they take up to between 12---15 years before producing cones & you will only have a good harvest every 4 or so years!

Time: 31st July 2011 6:02pm

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About the Author snottiegobble
Bunbury/Busso (smackin the middle)
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BJ says...
You need a big tree to support cones the size of the bonyi. Generally, once the tree is a good size (probably around 20yo) it will produce 'enough' in the off years. In the bumper years (usually every 4th year) you will have so many, you wont know what to do with them - Bunya soup, pesto, egg bunya and potato slad, bunya pasta, in place of pine nuts - You, and everyone you know , will be completely sick of bunya. I ended up trowing a good amount of mine in the yard as mulch at the tail end of last season. Now I have hundreds of little tubers in the ground.

Time: 1st August 2011 9:32am

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
Brisbane
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MaryT says...
BJ!!!! Bunya is such good food that maybe you can sell them to your local grocer/deli/restaurant? Friends of mine dry them and grind them into flour...but yeah, when you have them you have a lot. Lucky you. :)

Time: 1st August 2011 11:16am

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About the Author MaryT
Sydney
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