Antarctic beech (Ñire)

Nothofagus antarctica

Patagonian deciduous tree with small dark crinkled leaves and good golden autumn colour. Wind-sculpted into picturesque twisted forms at high altitude in southern Argentina and Chile.

Hardiness ratings

Antarctic beech (Ñire) hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 7–9 −17.8 °C to −1.1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H5 −15 °C to −10 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 7–8 −12 °C to −1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 1–3 −15 °C to 0 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Native to Patagonia — tolerates a wide altitude range from sea level to treeline
  • Distinct from European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and American beech (F. grandifolia) — Nothofagus is a separate Southern Hemisphere genus despite the common name "southern beech"
  • Tolerates exposed cold sites where most ornamental trees fail — natural to the windswept Patagonian steppe
  • Good golden autumn colour as a secondary feature

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Antarctic beech (Ñire) against your zones

Reference

Antarctic beech (Ñire) on Wikipedia