How to grow Gunnera Tinctoria: a plant profile of this giant of the garden!

This week on the Horti-Culturalists we take a look at a giant of the garden - the Gunnera! Although as Stephen points out, not all of the members of this family are enormous! We’ll take a look at the magnificent specimen of Gunnera tinctoria growing very happily in Stephen’s nursery Dicksonia, and then take things down a notch to two of the smallest of the Gunnera family: Gunnera magellanica and Gunnera prorepens. If your heart lies in boggy gardens then this is the plant for you!
0:00 Welcome
0:25 Gunnera introduction
1:16 It's not a rhubarb!
2:52 Gunners tinctoria
3:03 Gunnera manicata
12:11 Gunnera magellanica
12:33 Gunnera prorepens

[@JoostShino]

Fantastic video. Just found you guys, amazing chemistry. Deserve a lot bigger audience.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for finding us!

[@Bluemagilla]

We do have many on the west coast of Canada and it always looks prehistoric to me. My cousin makes beautiful cement bird baths and planters with the leaves as a template. They are stunning.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Very cool!

[@brianfreeman8290]

Many years ago, the small son (an embryonic thug, in my opinion), of a friend had been asked to take something interesting to school for the Nature Table. My Manicata is colossal, so I cut a leaf at the base, put it in the car, and took him to school. His reputation lives on.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Generous! Thanks for watching!

[@naomikirsch8158]

Stunning plant! Thanks for another interesting segment.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for watching!

[@gavinmatthews5618]

Could see this being used for biomass, incredible plant.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

It certainly produces a LOT of growth!

[@louisechristinelarsen2248]

Thank you for another great video and on one of my favourite plants! Would seasonal updates (winter, spring) be a possibility for future videos to see the magic happen?

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Hi Louise - thanks for watching! We thought about that, but to be honest in winter there is literally nothing but some dead leaves! And then in spring it grows so quickly you blink and miss it!! We're planning a water margin plant story so we could cover that aspect of the plant then as it won't all be about Gunnera.....so watch this space!

[@joewalker1130]

I've got One potted next to My Koi pond it shades the corner of the pond In The Summer

[@l333boa]

Love the Gunnera plant and great hearing more about it, I have one here in the North of England planted up near my duck pond, absolutely love how jurassic it looks, I'm lead to believe we have to be very careful how we manage this particular plant as its major invasive and apparently banned from being sold or even given away here in the UK. Glad I found your channel and have subbed thanks 👍

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for finding us!

[@wr2007st]

As far as I know, Gunnera manicata is native to Brazil - coastal southern regions, to be precise.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

I've seen it growing wild in Chile. Regards Stephen

[@victoriamichalik1797]

Thank you for this video… oh how I want some of these…but most probably we are too cold for it to survive… I might have to try it to find out… thanks again!

[@thehorti-culturalists]

If you can get one they aren't usually very expensive so its always worth a try. Regards Stephen

[@joewalker1130]

I do this In the UK when I cover up over winter

[@hazielangulo7080]

Gunnera tinctoria is native to Argentina and Chile, in Patagonia

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for watching!

[@mariabunny9608]

I was thinking of having a one of these you see them a lot in Vancouver Canada but I was told the root system is strong and can damage water pipes. I have seen them planted next to homes so not sure of this is true? Really enjoying your show 🌲

[@thehorti-culturalists]

It’s not true, the roots won’t damage water pipes. Regards Stephen

[@jucjuc314]

Another great video, thanks so much! Can you tell me which nursery it is? If it all goes well I will be able to come over to Melbourne after Christmas and would love to visit your nursery, looks like the right museum for gardeners 🤪😊 Greetings, Judit

[@jucjuc314]

I just found the answer from another video of yours Dicksonia Rare plants 🤗

[@thehorti-culturalists]

The nursery is Dicksonia Rare Plants 686 Mt. Macedon rd Mt.Macedon open 10 to 5 closed on Wednesday and Thursday

[@edithdelcarmensantanderorr6837]

Gracias no entiendo nada su idioma está planta q busco no se dónde salen más información 🤔👍🙏

[@dailyamusing235]

How do we sow the seeds thanks as ive just got mine in the mail and they are tiny seeds like poppys with a rough shell.?

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Just sow straight away on a moist medium that is in a saucer of water and all should be well if the seed isn't too old. Regards Stephen

[@jerry-rn4bu]

Can you say how deep the roots grow so I might grow this in a bigger container

[@thehorti-culturalists]

If the soil is damp and rich it will go to the bottom of almost any pot so the bigger the better. Regards Stephen

[@liamfinch4129]

Gunnera Tinctoria is classed as an invasive species in the UK and it's sale, distribution or planting in the wild is unlawful.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

I am aware of the weediness in some countries , however it is unlikely to become a problem in Australia were we are from. Regards Stephen

[@brianfreeman8290]

So, if I sever a piece from mine, I could make a fortune on the black market? Incidentally, mine is decades old, and has never spread beyond its' chosen location, despite living in a stream.

[@williamhancock884]

Do the seeds need stratifying

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Then seeds can just be sown when ripe. Regards Stephen

[@rolandweber9876]

Can you grow it easy out of seeds?

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Gunnera is easy from fresh seed and in fact often self seeds in my garden. Regards Stephen

[@sherrysilveira2055]

I have seen videos that claim that the tinctoria doesn't grow taller than about 4 feet. Obviously they hadn't seen this plant.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

! I'm 6ft and the leaves on Stephen's plant tower over me! Matthew

[@joewalker1130]

What do you do about the Flowers on them

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Just let them collapse as a rule although you could cut them off as winter sets in. Regards Stephen

[@joewalker1130]

No I meant about germinateing the seed's some where else In the garden

[@Mrjboomseedco]

Why is manicata so much harder to find?

[@thehorti-culturalists]

The one we featured is usually wrongly labelled as manicata in Australia so I'm sure people here at least assume they have it. I guess one could ask the same question of any number of other largish growing species that are even rarer. Regards Stephen

[@bradwilkins9290]

Are there any manicata in Australia?

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Yes manicata is in Australia but Victoria usually is sold under this name so get ng the right plant can be quite hard. Regards Stephen

[@bradwilkins9290]

@@thehorti-culturalists Cheers for that. Im from W.A.and got some through Yamina rear plants whitch turned out to be ether tinctoria or the newly identified hybrid between tinc and manicata, M cryptic under the name manicata.Its been a real struggle to find anyone that has the real deal.

[@rraqua1279]

So sad now it’s banned

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Not here in Australia as yet. Our country is in generals dry that there are few places it could get away so hopefully sense will prevail and we will still be able to grow it. Regards Stephen

[@rraqua1279]

@@thehorti-culturalists banned in uk