Présence de l’Araucaria dans le sud-ouest de la France

Abstract

Araucarias were discovered in geological times and are represented by broadly distributed species in South America and Oceania. One of these —the Chilean Pine— aroused a keen interest among Europeans who discovered it in South America at the end of the 18th century. It was well-known in Brittany as early as 1825 and awoke the curiosity of the affluent who gradually extended its range to the Aquitaine. In Gironde, this tree, a stranger to the region, drew the attention of enthusiasts who were as curious as they were wealthy, and planted them in a number of parks and gardens at the end of the 19th century. For a time, it was even tested as a forest species on the sandy heath before falling into oblivion. Its relative comeback into private gardens in the last twenty years is noticeable although it still is not found in public parks and gardens. This lack of interest is attributable to several causes. A study conducted in the département underscores its ecological limitations on the one hand and its limited value for society and for users on the other.