The Regina Floral Conservatory is now home to one of the rarest types of trees on earth. The conservatory is in possession of a Wollemia nobillis pine, of which there are only about 100 in the wild. “We got a plant called the Wollemia Nobilis, it is so rare it dates, predates the dinosaur age,” said Ron Sharpe, president of Regina Garden Associates. “The Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton has propagated an extra one and they donated one for us to put in our conservatory here in Regina.” The rare tree was discovered in 1994 in a temperate Australian rainforest, growing in a steep-sided valley. A hiker with strong botanical knowledge noticed the tree in the Wollemi National Park in New South Wales. After taking a sample of the unusual bark for lab analysis, it was identified as something never seen before. The new species is listed as being critically endangered and can grow up to 40 metres in height. The Regina Garden Associates said it was quite pleased to have the tree in its collection. The floral conservatory is open to the public, allowing anyone to stop by and get a glimpse of one of the oldest living specimens in the world.
