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Callicoma Serratifolia
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Posted by pos02 NSW Aust (My Page) on Tue, Jul 4, 06 at 19:52
| I have recieved a few of these plants lately, but have received conflicting advice as to how tall they get. Some tell me only a couple of meters, yet other sources mention up to 12m. I would think that if they are growing in a moist gully they will get taller, but what about in a normal garden situation? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Callicoma Serratifolia
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| I planted one about 13 years ago, in what is now a rather crowded border of trees and shrubs. It shot up to about 4 m quite quickly but is still no more than 5 m high. The leading braches tend to die back from time to time but the plant as a whole stays healthy, and is very attractive in flower. Callicoma is a common native along moist creek banks and hillside seepage zones in the Sydney and Blue Mountains sandstone. In these areas it is usually under 6 m, but in north coast hill rainforest I have seen it over 15 m tall, with trunk 20 cm or more thick. |
RE: Callicoma Serratifolia
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| I have never planted this tree though it is indigenous to my area (Toowoomba), from the story at the attached link. Trish is the local guru so perhaps she will be able to give more details. My guess is that because it has such a wide distribution along the coast from Victoria to SE Qld, its habit is bound to vary and things like soil and rainfall would influence it. However I suppose you could always prune it to keep it to the size you want. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Callicoma Serratifolia
RE: Callicoma Serratifolia
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| Wrigley & Fagg list this as a 'shrub' but to me a shrub to 6m high X 3m wide is a tree. They do however mention it as a "Hardy shrub and useful against a southern wall of a house". |
RE: Callicoma Serratifolia
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| Callicoma branches were the "wattle" in the "wattle and daub" huts that the early pioneers built. I have it growing on my property and it is around four to five metres high. You can cut it back to make it clump if you want to. The flowers are quite attractive. Once established it is surprisingly hardy. |
RE: Callicoma Serratifolia
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I wonder where it grows in SE Qld, Frank? I've never seen it here, but then I've tended to focus on the basalt soil areas. I suspect it might do better on soils of sandstone (or maybe granite) origin. It's a lovely plant, and I tried to grow one once, but think it wanted more water than I was prepared to give it, so it joined my long list of garden casualties.
Trish |
RE: Callicoma Serratifolia
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| Trish, There is a distribution map in the link I attached to my last posting - that was the basis for my statement that it grows in SE Qld. With your suggestion that it might do better on granite or sandstone soils, do you think that it might be growing around Stanthorpe and perhaps the Granite Belt generally? |
RE: Callicoma Serratifolia
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I would think Stanthorpe is a reasonable suggestion. I have seen it growing in sandy parts of the Dave's Creek Circuit near Binnaburra, and is doing well but not naturally occurring in my garden near Binnaburra.
Tony |
RE: Callicoma Serratifolia
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I've seen it in a sheltered creek on the Eastern side of the Great Dividing Range south of the NSW border. Can't remember where exactly, but I think maybe East of Tenterfield. It obviously loved the territory, as it was the dominant tree. It could well be closer to home (mine, in Toowoomba, I mean). That I haven't found it doesn't mean I've necessarily looked very hard.
If anyone knows, I'd really appreciate hearing about it.
Trish |
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