Paraná Pine (Araucaria angustifolia)
This isn’t just a tree—it’s a story. Araucaria angustifolia, also known as Paraná Pine or Brazilian Pine, is native to the highlands of southern Brazil, where it once dominated the landscape and shaped both culture and ecology. For generations, the large edible seeds—called pinhão—have been roasted, boiled, and shared in community, especially during the cooler months. But the species is now threatened in its native range, and the forests that once covered vast hillsides have been reduced to fragments.
Joe B brought these seeds back to New Orleans with care and intention. He believes in cultural exchange rooted in reciprocity—so when he brought Araucaria seeds here, he also brought Taxodium—our native bald cypress—back to Brazil. That kind of exchange matters. It honors both ecosystems, both traditions. It’s not just about what we grow, but how we share.
Here in New Orleans—especially in neighborhoods like the 9th Ward and Arabi—this tree has a place. It’s slow-growing and upright, tolerant of our heat and humidity, and strong enough to take our winter cold in Zone 9b. Given some drainage and space, it can thrive. And in a region shaped by change, loss, and resilience, there’s something fitting about planting a tree that reminds us how long things can live—and how much care it takes to make that possible.
Whether you’re growing it for its edible seeds, for its geometry, or for the story it carries, Araucaria angustifolia is a way to connect past, place, and future. One seed at a time.
Paraná Pine (Araucaria angustifolia)
This isn’t just a tree—it’s a story. Araucaria angustifolia, also known as Paraná Pine or Brazilian Pine, is native to the highlands of southern Brazil, where it once dominated the landscape and shaped both culture and ecology. For generations, the large edible seeds—called pinhão—have been roasted, boiled, and shared in community, especially during the cooler months. But the species is now threatened in its native range, and the forests that once covered vast hillsides have been reduced to fragments.
Joe B brought these seeds back to New Orleans with care and intention. He believes in cultural exchange rooted in reciprocity—so when he brought Araucaria seeds here, he also brought Taxodium—our native bald cypress—back to Brazil. That kind of exchange matters. It honors both ecosystems, both traditions. It’s not just about what we grow, but how we share.
Here in New Orleans—especially in neighborhoods like the 9th Ward and Arabi—this tree has a place. It’s slow-growing and upright, tolerant of our heat and humidity, and strong enough to take our winter cold in Zone 9b. Given some drainage and space, it can thrive. And in a region shaped by change, loss, and resilience, there’s something fitting about planting a tree that reminds us how long things can live—and how much care it takes to make that possible.
Whether you’re growing it for its edible seeds, for its geometry, or for the story it carries, Araucaria angustifolia is a way to connect past, place, and future. One seed at a time.
