echinosum wrote:
As you cross Patagonia from East to West (Chileans generally include
the far southern part of their country in the concept of Patagonia),
the climate changes from Arid to Very Wet, with a significant
transitional zone in the middle, though in some places it is rather
narrow. Torres del Paine (which I have visited twice) lies across the
transitional area, exhibiting the full range of climates. You can walk
from the arid zone to the transitional in a very short time, as you go
around a spur and arrive in a rain shadow. So proximity is not a good
measure of continued suitability/unsuitability.

Agreed. According to the info I have, temperature ranges from 30°C in
summer to -15°C in winter in the various regions, with quite a bit of
tempering going on in summer and winter according to how near a lake the
region is. Wind shadow will be as important as rain shadow in some areas.


Plants from the very wet, cool, but never very cold, west coast of
Patagonia (mostly in Chile) frequently do well on the west coasts of
the British Isles, especially, Scotland and Ireland, which has a
similar climate. Fuchsia magellanica and Gunnera tinctoria are
invasive weeds in Ireland. Escallonias are popular hedging shrubs.
Berberis is everywhere. Sometimes these species have a wide
geographical range and have been sourced horticulturally from much
further north in Chile, where the climate is milder, and from this
provenance do not always do very well in Britain. This is a specific
issue with Embothrium Coccineum (notro), which has an especially wide
geographical range. I've seen it growing very well in (inland)
Connemara, along side a brilliant Crinodendron hookerianum, and i
believe these are also grown in Scotland.

There are a couple of very large E. coccineum growing in Winkworth arboretum
in Surrey! I don't know their provenance. But having seen them growing
well before only in western regions of Scotland and in Cornwall (can't say
I've seen them in Wales - I wonder if there are any), I was somewhat
surprised to see them in the South East. Maybe there is a particular
microclimate there which suits them, or maybe they can't read the books
which say where they can and can't grow! That is true of Crinodendron
hookerianum. I grew mine in a large pot until it got too big, so stuck it
in my Sussex clay on the north side of a 2m fence. I expected it to get
blasted once it got its head above the fence in full sun. Not a bit of it -
it grew even better. Now nearly 4m high and still going.

Unfortunately I haven't
been in TdP late enough in the season to collect seed from it.

We were too late - lots of empty pods on the ground from the previous year.

The best area for obtaining plants likely to succeed in much of
Britain is the Transitional zone, since this area has a wider
temperature range and moderate rainfall, very similar to many areas
of Britain. This is the area where Nothofagus antarctica grows, as
opposed to the evergreen forest on the coast. Plants from the arid
zone may not be suitable for Britain, they likely require a wider
temperature range than we can give them, and won't like our wet mild
winters, but they may be good for places in the USA/Canada where they
get that wider temp range, and less wet/humid winters.

I still think that none of the TdP regions' plants are suitable for Western
Scotland. According to the Nancul's guide to TdP, There are 4 biotic
provinces in TdP - Patagonian Steppe, Preandean Steppe, Deciduous Magellanic
Forest, and Andean Desert.

The first has yearly rainfall up to 400 mm, and is considered semi-arid.
Preandean Heath is considered arid (the Anarthrophyllum grows there).
Neither would contain suitable plants for Western Scotland (NB, I see that
the OP said that he is 25 miles inland. Isn't that a bit too far for a
tempering effect of the Gulf Stream?). Deciduous Magellanic Forest has a
rainfall over 400 mm a year. But even that is probably only a third or even
less of what the OP gets. Andean desert speaks for itself!

But you no doubt saw loads of berberis buxifolia
(calafate) nearby (the berries of which are popularly collected for
consumption/jam), and that is commonly grown in Britain.

Yes. But would it grow 25 miles inland in Western Scotland? Other shrubs
from the Deciduous forest include B. illicifolia, Ribes magellanicum, and
Pernettya (Gaultheria) mucronata.

I had a walk in a Chilean coolish temperate forest just last year, in
an area with a rainfall about the same as Manchester or Bristol, not
very far south, but the altitude (5000 feet+) compensated for that -
snow in winter, too cold for grapes or peaches here. Almost every
plant I saw is in cultivation in some part of Britain - several
Nothofagus spp, Buddleia globosa, Fabiana spp, Colletia spp, Gevuina
avellana, Chusquea spp, etc.

What area in Chile? Somewhere between Chillan and Temuco? Plants growing
there will only grow mainly in the more temperate, wetter, and less windy
areas of Britain.

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)