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kennedia coccinea in canada
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Posted by stargrass z6 Van BC (My Page) on Wed, Dec 28, 05 at 17:26
| Through UBC, I have aquired a common coral vine (kennedia coccinea) that I believe is native to the forests of south western Australia(?).
I would LOVE to find out how to grow this vine appropriately in Vancouver, British Columbia (z.6)... SOme care/ pruning techniques and some refrences to hardiness for my area. I have tried to deduce these factors from what I have read, but there really hasn't been a whole heck of alot out there.
I would sincerly apprechiate the feed back! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: kennedia coccinea in canada
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| Yes, it grows in jarrah and karri forests in the sw botanical province. I doubt it would deal with much below freezing though. I think you can prune it whenever it is actively growing (i.e. warm). In the wild it is able to grow in terribly poor soils, but in cultivation a standard potting mix is fine. |
RE: kennedia coccinea in canada
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| Hello Stargrass from Canada. This is a warning I give to all non-Australians so please don't feel singled out. Now I would like to point out that Kennedia coccinea in Canada, given the climate, is not likely to become an environmental problem however in general.... Australian native plants are great in Australia but some have become catastrophic environmental weeds in other countries. Some Australian native plants are in fact environmental weeds within Australia after having been planted outside their natural range. If you would like to know more about the environmental weed issue then please visit here: http://www.eftel.net.au/~gregsplants/Environmental Weeds.htm. In the case of Canada the weeds will be different but the issue remains the same. Please exercise caution when selecting plants that originate from Australia, and indeed other countries. The only 100% environmentally safe plant are those that are indigenous to your little corner of Canada. |
RE: kennedia coccinea in canada
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| Greg, thank you for your warning, but I doubt K. coccinea will survive wild in places that go as low as -17C. I suspect that in WA it doesn't even see snow. |
RE: kennedia coccinea in canada
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| Thanks Greg! You know, I can see how this species could become invasive just by the way it sprawls... Do the tendrils root themselves? My two year old is still growing up and it's almost the 'middle of winter'! No flowers yet though. What I am really interested in are the environmental effects on my little individual if exposed to freezing temps.Originating in Australia, i'd like to know how to compensate. It blooms in our spring, yes. Requires part shade, yes. Soil, yes. The plant seems like it would be hardy in general... The invasive factor in it's native habitat confirms this... Just, any information on hardiness and possible tips for care? Thanks! |
RE: kennedia coccinea in canada
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| I don't think kennedias will grow roots from the nodes naturally. Certainly all the plants in this genus I've dealt with have only a single crown. stargrass, one thing I've discovered with WA plants is that whilst they happily grow rampantly in the wild, the moment you try to tame them they get all finicky and die. For example, C. flava, a lovely little yellow orchid grows anywhere and everywhere, and happily appears in pots in people's gardens. In eastern australia fanatically orchid growers with thousands of pots struggle to keep a few mangy specimins alive :) I suspect that if your kennedia actually froze it would die. A light frost would probably remove a few leaves, but a day below zero would be the end. Tell us all what happens when you've got a few more propagated. Kennedias are reasonably easily done with cuttings. In general with WA plants I start propagating as soon as I get a chance (though coral creeper is easily available here so I don't bother). |
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