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Couple prove that money really does grow on trees as rare product earns thousands

Pamela and Alistair Thompson have been able to show that some very expensive things can grow on trees after they were able to nab 5,000 worth of seeds from a luxurious tree

[Pamela and tree]

The couple are proving that money can grow on trees thanks to their rare seeds

A couple has shown that money can grow on trees after making thousands from seeds.

Alistair and Pamela Thompson secured an incredibly rare tree over a decade ago, thinking there was nothing to write home about. However, since then, the tree has gifted them up to 5,000 worth of produce - meaning they have been able to quite literally grow money.

The couple from Wichenford in Worcestershire first bought a Wollemi pine tree back in 2010. Paying the modest sum of just 70 for the tree, the couple appreciated it for its beauty - but things soon came to fruition for the couple after they learned the story of the tree.

Both Pamela and Alistair found the Wollemi pine tree was once a vital snack for the dinosaurs, with the seeds providing a healthy source of various vitamins and oils. As a result, they bought the tree, hoping it would produce seeds that they could sell.

[Pine tree]

Pamela and Alistair Thompson snapped up the rare pine tree for just 70 back in 2010

Now, fifteen years on from when they first planted the tree, it has finally begun to offer up seeds, with each individual seed being able to fetch up to 10. Given the amount of seeds produced each time, the couple could rake in as much as 5,000 per batch, according to LadBible.

The tree was seen to be incredibly rare nowadays, as it was a particularly well-favoured treat during the age of the dinosaurs. After the fateful meteor struck the Earth, killing off the dinosaurs, it was feared that the tree had died out - but a small number were able to survive and keep the species growing.

Eventually, a small patch of trees was discovered in Australia, and its saplings were soon sold all over the world, including to the 75-year-old couple. Since then, the tree has been deemed as being "critically endangered", and now the pair are hoping that selling the seeds will help to increase their population.

[Pamela with seeds]

Since then, the tree has given them seeds that could be worth up to 5,000

Pamela explained: "It was very exciting actually collecting the seeds from such an ancient tree that lived when dinosaurs roamed - I shall definitely try to germinate seeds from a critically endangered tree. We have around five large cones which have produced about a hundred or so large seeds each.

"Some of the other cones are smaller, about the size of a golf ball each, which I am not sure will produce seeds this year, but could well do next year," she added. "It would be lovely to see just how many seeds we can produce, but I have been very surprised by the numbers so far this year."

While it is possible to sell each individual seed for up to 10, Pamela and Alistair are looking to keep the cost of gardening down and are instead opting to bring the price down to just 1 per seed. The pair admitted that they wanted to help "make them accessible" to the general public.

[Tree]

The couple said they want to make the tree accessible to all, and are reducing the price

However, while their tree is continuing to gift them little seeds to keep the species alive, no one knows how many of the seedlings will grow up to be healthy trees. Despite this, the couple are now looking to the future and will open their own garden to the public as part of the National Garden Scheme.

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