Common Name: Alerce

General Information

Fitzroya cupressoides is an evergreen tree with a slender crown; it can grow 40 - 50 metres tall, though it is often much smaller in cultivation. The straight, cylindrical bole can be buttressed in old individuals; it is up to 120cm in diameter (one report says it cam reach 300 - 500cm[]) and is free of branches for up to 25 metres. Plants often produce root suckers[, , ].
The tree yields a valuable timber, for which it has been heavily exploited since Europeans arrived in S. America. Many lowland stands have been extirpated and, although the tree is officially protected in many areas, it still continues to be exploited. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.
There has been an estimated reduction in the quality of habitat across this plant's total range of more than 50% during the last three generations, which is suspected to equate to a population reduction of 50% over that time period. In Chile, where most of the population occurs, this is very evident in the Coastal Cordillera where most of the Alerce forests comprise secondary forest that is the result of fire, logging and damage to trees from bark stripping for caulking purposes. The majority of the Andean forests been impacted in similar ways. The decline in habitat quality is ongoing as illegal logging continues and deliberately set fires re-occur. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

S. America - central Chile, southwestern Argentina.

Habitat

A dominant or emergent tree that is found in a range of forest types, usually in boggy ground at lower elevations, though also found in well-drained soils at higher and cooler elevations with high atmospheric humidity[, ]

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Fitzroya cupressoides is found at elevations from sea level to around 1,500 metres - the mean annual rainfall in these regions varies from 2,000 - 6,000 metres, mostly falling in the winter, with snow at higher elevations[].
This species dislikes soils that dry out rapidly, preferring an acid soil with a pH around 4 - 5[, ]. It grows best in humid conditions, especially on north facing slopes or in the shelter of a woodland edge[]. It dislikes cold drying winds[]. In the wild, the plant usually grows on poorly drained young soils derived from volcanic ash. At low and middle elevations, the tree occurs on poorly drained sandy soils, rich in organic matter, with a low pH and a high Carbon/Nitrogen rate. At higher elevations (800- 1,200 metres) it grows on insipid soils, also derived from volcanic ash, but sandy well drained and infertile[].
A very ornamental tree[], it is much hardier in Britain than was once thought[]. Generally a very slow growing tree in Britain but young plants can grow 30cm a year and growth can continue until October[]. A very slow growing and verry long-lived tree in its native habitat[, ], with recorded individuals between 3,500 - 4,000 years old, but trees are unlikely to survive that long in cultivation[].
Plants grow best in the mild and damp maritime climate of south-west and west Britain[, ].
Plants can be monoecious or dioecious, though they are more often dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is to be produced, though there is a report that trees rarely produce fertile seed in Britain[]..

Throughout its range Fitzroya grows in a range of forest types. For instance in Chile, at elevations greater than 800 m it is often associated with Nothofagus betuloides, while at mid-elevations of from 500-800 m it grows with Nothofagus nitida, Pilgerodendron uviferum, Podocarpus nubigenus and Tepualia stipularis. At low elevations of between 40 and 500 m Fitzroya is uncommon and typically it grows as a large tree in the Valdivian rainforest with Amomyrtus luma, Drimys winteri, Laureliopsis philippiana, Saxegothaea conspicua and Weinmannia trichosperma (Hechenleitner et al. 2006).
This is a very long-lived, slow growing tree with records of it living to more than 3,600 years old (Lara and Villalba 1993). It is dioecious species or ocasionally monoecius (Rodríguez et al. 1983). Inter-annual seed production is highly variable, with 5-7 years periods of low to no production and viability is also usually low (Donoso 1995). In the Chilean Andes most Fitzroya-dominated forests have originated following large-scale disturbance such as volcanic ash depositions, lava flows and landlslides. It can resprout from roots or low branches (Veblen and Ashton 1982).

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A fibre obtained from the inner bark is used for caulking boats and ships, and also for insulation purposes[, ].

The heartwood is brownish red; it is sharply demarcated from the narrow band of light-coloured sapwood. The texture is fine and uniform; the grain straight and usually close; there is no distinctive odour or taste. The wood is light in weight, very durable, including in fresh water, showing resistance to attack by white- rot and brown-rot fungi. It is reported to season readily with little or no degrade. It works easily in all hand and machine operations; cutters must be kept sharp to get a smooth finish on end grain; it is easy to glue and finish; takes paints and varnish very well. The wood is easily split to produce shakes, and is also used for shingles, general construction, pencil slats, musical instruments, vats and tanks, lumber cores, and furniture components[]. A first-class joinery wood of excellent quality, it resembles California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)[, , , , ].
The wood makes a good fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in early spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Once they have reached a height of at least 30cm, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts[].
Cuttings, late summer, in a sandy soil in a frame[].