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Alectryons
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Posted by trish_g SE Qld Aust (My Page) on Thu, Jul 20, 06 at 22:59
Is anyone growing any?
If so, I'm curious to hear which ones, what soil, and what growth speed.
I recently saw an Alectryon diversifolium in someone's backyard. Chocolate soil on a hillside west of Toowoomba. It had been munched generously by cattle in the past but not for the last four years. Never watered, and we're having the worst drought even known here.
The plant was a magnificent tall screen (5 or 6 metres, maybe), and 3 or 4 metres across. Very dense foliage to ground level. It made me wonder why we aren't all growing them.
However, mine in the ground aren't going anywhere very fast. They've been in for a year, now.
Trish |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Alectryons
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| Trish, I did a search and came up with Alectryon diversifolius one link attached and one here:
http://www.cqu.edu.au/seedbank/a/alectryon/4.html
which shows that it grows at least as far north as central Qld. I could not find a decent image. Are you able to post an image of that big one you mentioned growing in western Toowoomba? Cheers,
Frank |
Here is a link that might be useful: Alectryon diversifolius
RE: Alectryons
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I don't know how to begin posting an image! Will gratefully take instruction if anyone cares to offer it. I do have an image on my computer, and know how to attach it to an email, but not how to "post" it on this site.
I was out at Roma today and saw some lovely Alectryon oleifolium growing naturally, but included in a garden. I do wish I know how old these trees would be. We call them Boonarees, closer in to Toowoomba, but out there they call them "Rosewoods".
Trish |
RE: Alectryons
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| In Sydney A. tomentosus has been used as a street tree for several decades, but has been found to self-seed quite a bit, causing some concern among bush regenerators. Its southern limit in the wild is near Newcastle. It makes an attractive, compact small tree with decorative fruit. A. coriaceus is also appearing in some plantings. It is resistant to salt spray and deserves wider use as a coastal plant. Where I have seen it, it only makes a spreading shrub to about 3 m high, with interesting foliage. Our only native Alectryon in Sydney is A. subcinereus, a tough little tree but with no strong ornamental qualities. The inland spp formerly placed in the genus Heterodendrum, such as A. oleifolius, are never seen here. I think that even in their native regions they are slow-growing. According to one reference A. oleifolius almost never reproduces from seed in the wild but regenerates from suckers; germination requires a high temperature and the success rate is low. |
RE: Alectryons
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Trish, I have this species growing in nensw, yes they use to be called Heterodendron diversifolium until recently moved into the Alectryon genus. This species grows slowly but well. I planted a specimen out of a 300mm pot at 1m high, but they do seem slow to grow. I have seen them in the dry rainforest thickets of central queensland.
I also have A. tropicus, A. subcinereus, A. subdentatus, A. tomentosus, A. coriaceus, A. reticulatus, A. semicinereus and A. connatus off the top of my head.
From Kris |
RE: Alectryons
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| I have about 8 in my garden. One is quite impressive. They were remnant veg and the house just happened to land next to them. I am very hapy with them as all sorts of things self germinate under them. The birds do all the work for me. |
RE: Alectryons
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Thanks, Guys.
Kris, when you say you planted one out at about a metre high, do you mean that you grew it yourself to that height? If so, what did you start with, and how long did it take? I think I'd be quite thrilled to achieve that, considering the lack of action from my lot.
I love the sound of your garden, Mick. Have you tried pruning your Scrub Boonarees? (I assume it is these - A diversifolium - that you mean when you say you have 8 of them?) My attention was first drawn to this species by some in a road reserve here which had been eaten by cattle to the point where plants with a 15cm trunk were only 50cm high. They were very attractive, healthy-looking plants with lots of juvenile foliage (which I find more interesting than the mature leaves). This has led me to think they would be an outstanding hedging species, which is why I planted my row of little recalcitrants.
I'm also interested by a find near here of some Alectryon pubescens, which is another of those ex-Heterodendron Alectryons, with the simple leaves. I think these are not expected to occur outside the Burnett District - but so much of our original flora has been destroyed that it's not unexpected to find the unexpected.
Trish |
RE: Alectryons
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Trish,
I bought my specimen in a 300mm pot, Imnot sure how long it took to get that big (1m tall). As soon as I planted it out some kind of caterpillar ate every single leaf off it- it has since grown new ones though.
For the correction. Its Heterodendrum not Heterodendron- I made this mistake a posting ago too!
Ive never heard of Alectryon pubescens- I know of A. ramiflora which is super rare around Childers.
Keep me in touch of further reference to A. pubescens.
Thanks from Kris |
RE: Alectryons
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Trish,
A. diversifolium mostly, there is a lovely A. conatus which I am very pleased with as well. Outside the house yard there are A. tomentosus. I am not the type of gardener that is inclined to prune things. I plant trees and kill weeds and wander around finding new and exciting things. Like Exocarpos latifolius which I found today in my patch of scrub. I am jumping out of my skin with excitement and had to tell someone who may understand. Where can I get a hold of sandalwoods? I would like to plant one in the garden. I think there is a hedge of a. diversifolium that I drive past most days in Ipswich. I should stop and confirm. It has become overgrown and is not very attractive. Righto then
Mick |
RE: Alectryons
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Mick,
Crows Nest Community Nursery (which is run by the council) had Santalum lanceolatum when I last looked. Ring Steve Plant, 0417 193 665. Steve propagates these himself, and a lot of other scrub species. He has a wealth of knowledge on the subject, and is a great guy to boot. (I have put mine in with grass, an Austrostipa, but other people tell me it really grows well on its own roots.)
I do understand your excitement about Exocarpus latifolius. What fun! And you'll appreciate my pleasure at realising I have three little Cupaniopsis parvifolia self-sown on our patch. That makes three local natives which have come up now (Melicope micrococca and Polyscias elegans being the others). It is interesting to notice how our acreage block, which was subdivided dairy farm and almost treeless when we bought it 25 years ago, is starting to revert to its natural state now that there is shelter in the form of the things I and the neighbours have planted.
I would like to hear more of that possible Scrub Boonaree hedge in Ipswich, if you get a chance to look more closely. Kris, I have sent the putative Alectryon pubescens in to the herbarium for identification (there was an old seed-capsule on it, which helps). That was nearly two weeks ago, so there should be a reply soon. Steve Plant and I will keep an eye on it for seed, and may have plants up in a year or two perhaps.
Trish |
RE: Alectryons
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| Trish, the herbarium have records of this species as follows:
It obviously occurs over a long range but is scantly distributed. Alectryon pubescens (S.T.Reynolds) S.T.Reynolds
Districts: BN(3) DD(3) LE(2) MO(2) NK(1) PC(1) I would love to obtain a specimen some day
thanks from Kris |
RE: Alectryons
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| False alarm on the alectryon hedge. Sorry. I am too embarassed to say what it actually was. |
RE: Alectryons
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| Alectryons are what they make alectrycity out of. |
RE: Alectryons
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Come on Mick! Share it! (I'm famous in my local SGAP for coming in with a weed and a hopeful expression on my face - is this a native? No, Trish, sorry. You've done it again...)
and Thanks, Nathan, I needed to know that.
Actually, there IS a story about the name, which has to do with roosters - the black "eye" of the seed and its red aril having reminded someone of a rooster's eye and comb.
Alectryon was the ancient Greek word for a rooster, and is made of "a-", a negative, and "lect-" meaning "bed". Apparently a man of loose morals was described as "bedless", meaning, presumably that he only slept in other people's. Roosters were given the name as a disapproving comment on their sexual morality.
So there.
Trish |
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