Rare conifer cones for the first time in cultivation at National Botanic Gardens of Ireland

One of the world's rarest conifers, Pinus armandii var. dabeishanensis, originated in China 

One of the world's rarest conifers, Pinus armandii var. dabeishanensis, has coned for the very first time in cultivation at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, Kilmacurragh.

With all the talk of species extinction and bad news about our own species’ future on this planet, it is wonderful to hear some good news coming out of Ireland. One of the world’s rarest conifers, Pinus armandii var. dabeishanensis, has coned for the very first time in cultivation at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, Kilmacurragh.

This pine is native to the Dabie Mountains in China and according to Dr Sun Weibang, of Kunming Botanical Gardens, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it is not cultivated in Chinese gardens, so outside its native range the Kilmacurragh tree is the only known cultivated plant in the world.