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Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Dinosaurs' snack that survived T-Rex extension bears fruit for couple
One of the oldest and rarest tree species that once formed part of a dinosaur's diet is now bearing fruit for the first time, after a retired couple planted a specimen in their garden. Wollemi pines, referred to as dinosaur trees, boast a history exceeding 90 million years and were initially believed to have been wiped out by the time the last T-Rex roamed the Earth. However, a cluster of these ancient conifers was discovered in 1994 in a region 125 miles west of Sydney, Australia. Saplings and cuttings were subsequently sold worldwide, including one purchased by retired couple Pamela and Alistair Thompson. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The couple invested £70 in an 18-inch (45.7 cm) tall sapling acquired from the Shopping Channel. In 2010, they replanted the tree in their garden in Wichenford, Malvern, Worcestershire, and following years of dedicated nurturing, it has flourished and now stands over 13 feet (4 meters) tall. READ MORE: £2.8m dream home in Britain's celeb capital up for grabs - for £10 READ MORE: Anticipation over when Costco will build and open its new Gloucester warehouse Pamela and Alistair Thompson from Wichenford are very proud of their Wollemi pine -Credit:Emma Trimble / SWNS This month, retired police officer Pamela, 75, was astonished to discover that the tree had produced fruit for the first time. Her aspiration is to propagate seeds from the evergreen tree to cultivate more of this endangered species. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Pamela expressed her excitement, saying: "It would be amazing, absolutely amazing, to have seedlings and to propagate from the world's rarest tree. "I couldn't imagine being so lucky to do it. I saw a small tree for sale for more than £1,000 which shows just how rare they are." One of the world's rarest and oldest trees which dinosaurs used to snack on is bearing fruit for the first time after a retired couple planted it in their garden -Credit:SWNS Wollemi pines are related to monkey puzzle trees and bear both male and female fruit. Pamela, who has three-grandchildren, added: "The long pendulous fruits are actually the male cone and the globular spiky fruits are the female cones. "So what we're really hoping later in the year would be to collect and germinate some of the seeds from it. That would be really something but we will just have to wait and see.' Pamela and Alistair, 75, a retired spinal surgeon, are opening their garden to the public as part of the National Garden Scheme on Sunday, May 4.
Daily Mail
25-04-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
One of the world's rarest trees, once snacked on by dinosaurs, bears fruit in Britain for the first time after a retired couple planted a sapling bought by their friend on The Shopping Channel
Its spiky cones were a favourite snack for dinosaurs that roamed the Earth more than 200million years ago. Experts thought it had gone the way of the diplodocus, but now the 'dinosaur' tree is very much alive — and bearing fruit in Britain for the first time — after a retired couple planted a rare sapling in their garden. The Wollemi pine, one of the world's rarest trees, was believed to have become extinct two million years ago until it was rediscovered by a group of hikers in 1994, 125 miles west of Sydney, Australia. Saplings and cuttings of the endangered tree were sold off around the world, catching the attention of Pamela and Alistair Thompson. The couple paid £70 for an 18in sapling, bought initially on the Shopping Channel by a friend. Now, after 15 years of care, the tree stands more than 13ft tall in their garden in the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire. Retired police officer Mrs Thompson, 75, was stunned to discover the rare tree bearing fruit for the first time ever this month. She now hopes the evergreen can be propagated to produce seeds that can be used to grow more trees. She said: 'It would be amazing, absolutely amazing, to have seedlings and to propagate from the world's rarest tree. I couldn't imagine being so lucky to do it. 'I saw a small tree for sale for more than £1,000 which shows just how rare they are.' Wollemi pines are related to monkey puzzle trees and bear both male and female fruit. The grandmother added: 'The long pendulous fruits are actually the male cone and the globular spiky fruits are the female cones. 'So what we're really hoping later in the year would be to collect and germinate some of the seeds. That would be really something but we will just have to wait and see.' To share the excitement, Mr Thompson, 75, a retired spinal surgeon, will open the couple's garden to the public as part of the National Garden Scheme on May 4.
