Lenga Plant Care

Lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) belongs to the Nothofagaceae family within the Nothofagus genus. Lenga is native to the southern Andes range, in the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego, from 35° to 56° South latitude. Lenga is also known as Southern beech.

Lenga displays a tall, deciduous tree growth habit, reaching up to 100 ft tall with a spread of approximately 50 ft. Lenga produces inconspicuous flowers, small clusters.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Lenga every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Lenga thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Nothofagus pumilio tolerates temperatures of 50–80°F. Lenga prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining, acidic soil with high organic content. Good drainage is essential for Lenga to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Lenga every 8 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining, acidic soil with high organic content. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Lenga is suited to USDA Zone 7a – 8b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Lenga can spread to about 50 ft (15.2 m) and reach about 100 ft (30 m) tall. Space plants about 50 ft (15.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Lenga while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Lenga is hardy down to USDA zone 7a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Lenga can be propagated through seeds, hardwood cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to roble plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Lenga is susceptible to aphids, scale insects, caterpillars. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Lenga grows outdoors in USDA Zone 7a – 8b. It survives winters down to planting zone 7a. Lenga is native to the southern Andes range, in the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego, from 35° to 56° South latitude.