Retired couple grows “money tree” in their garden worth over $6,000
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A retired couple in the UK have stumbled upon what might be the closest thing to a real life money tree—and it’s sitting in their back garden.
Pamela and Alistair Thompson, both 75, say their rare Wollemi pine, a prehistoric species once thought to be extinct, has produced seeds for the very first time.
Experts estimate the bounty could be worth more than $6,000—and potentially tens of thousands in the years to come.
The Worcestershire pair originally purchased the sapling back in 2010 for just $93, after learning that dinosaurs once munched on its fruit.
The Wollemi pine, also known as a “dinosaur tree,” dates back more than 90 million years. Once thought to have died out with the T-Rex, the species was rediscovered in Australia in the 1990s—and has been fiercely protected ever since.
“It really does prove that money can grow on trees!” Alistair said after watching the first batch of seeds tumble into Pamela’s hands this summer.
Pamela, a retired police officer, said she had been monitoring the cones closely. “I had been keeping half an eye on a female cone for ages as I was advised they usually drop their seeds in late August or early September.”
“This year has been so unusually dry, it happened earlier. A few days ago I reached up to a female cone and the seeds all cascaded into my cupped hands as I touched it.”
The couple estimate that five large cones have already produced hundreds of seeds. Considering single Wollemi saplings have sold for upwards of $1,300, the Thompsons realized they may be sitting on a small fortune.
But rather than cash in, they plan to package the seeds in affordable bundles and sell them online for charity.
“We've seen some online retailers sell them for much more than that but we would want to make them accessible for people as well as raise money for charity.,” Pamela explained.
They expect to charge about £5 ($6.70) per pack of five or six seeds. Wollemi pines are critically endangered, and germinating new trees is unpredictable.
Still, the Thompsons hope their garden discovery can help conservation efforts while also supporting good causes.
And if you’re curious to see the “money tree” in person, you’re in luck. Pamela and Alistair are opening their garden to the public on Sunday, August 24, as part of the UK’s National Garden Scheme.
Visitors will be able to see the prehistoric pine up close—and maybe even catch a glimpse of the seeds that could turn into a future forest.
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Would you be tempted to cash in if you discovered a rare plant in your own backyard, or would you, like the Thompsons, use it as a chance to give back? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let us know what you’d do if a “money tree” suddenly started growing in your garden.
Pamela and Alistair Thompson, both 75, say their rare Wollemi pine, a prehistoric species once thought to be extinct, has produced seeds for the very first time.
Experts estimate the bounty could be worth more than $6,000—and potentially tens of thousands in the years to come.
The Worcestershire pair originally purchased the sapling back in 2010 for just $93, after learning that dinosaurs once munched on its fruit.
The Wollemi pine, also known as a “dinosaur tree,” dates back more than 90 million years. Once thought to have died out with the T-Rex, the species was rediscovered in Australia in the 1990s—and has been fiercely protected ever since.
“It really does prove that money can grow on trees!” Alistair said after watching the first batch of seeds tumble into Pamela’s hands this summer.
Retired couple grows “money tree” in their garden worth over $6,000. Image source: Aleks Rovinski / Unsplash
Pamela, a retired police officer, said she had been monitoring the cones closely. “I had been keeping half an eye on a female cone for ages as I was advised they usually drop their seeds in late August or early September.”
“This year has been so unusually dry, it happened earlier. A few days ago I reached up to a female cone and the seeds all cascaded into my cupped hands as I touched it.”
The couple estimate that five large cones have already produced hundreds of seeds. Considering single Wollemi saplings have sold for upwards of $1,300, the Thompsons realized they may be sitting on a small fortune.
But rather than cash in, they plan to package the seeds in affordable bundles and sell them online for charity.
“We've seen some online retailers sell them for much more than that but we would want to make them accessible for people as well as raise money for charity.,” Pamela explained.
They expect to charge about £5 ($6.70) per pack of five or six seeds. Wollemi pines are critically endangered, and germinating new trees is unpredictable.
Still, the Thompsons hope their garden discovery can help conservation efforts while also supporting good causes.
And if you’re curious to see the “money tree” in person, you’re in luck. Pamela and Alistair are opening their garden to the public on Sunday, August 24, as part of the UK’s National Garden Scheme.
Visitors will be able to see the prehistoric pine up close—and maybe even catch a glimpse of the seeds that could turn into a future forest.
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