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Trees that grow in shale
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Posted by cloboben Vic Aust (My Page) on Wed, Jun 22, 05 at 23:06
| Down here in Victoria, just south of the divide I have a rural property where the ground is made up of silt & shale. Some call this ground mudrock. Gums & Ironbarks make up the dominant natural cover but I'm wanting to plant some Native Trees that will add something to the property. I guess I'm looking for tall trees to line the driveway into our property for a start. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. |
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RE: Trees that grow in shale
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- Posted by deejaus Melb.Vic. Aust (My Page) on
Fri, Jun 24, 05 at 21:04
Casuarinas (she-oaks) grow well in shale. There is a particularly lovely weeping one called Casuarina Equisetifolia. It grows to 9m. Some of the others grow taller than this.
Cheers,
Dee. |
RE: Trees that grow in shale
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| I would guess that your area gets quite heavy frosts. And I get the impression you would like something a bit different from the local native eucalypts. Another limiting factor might be soil moisture. Perhaps the most striking choice would be Bunya pines, Araucaria bidwillii. They are surprisingly frost tolerant and do well in stiff clay soils as long as drainage is reasonable. Looking around your nearby towns you should be able to see whether they do well in the district. Another possible choice might be Eucalyptus globulus subsp. bicostata, which could make a taller, denser tree than the local native species. In western Victoria I have seen long avenues of E. cladocalyx, common there to the point of being boring. |
RE: Trees that grow in shale
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| If you are intending to plant quite a few, I would strongly suggest you put a deep ripper through the area to be planted. If the shale includes those rocky reefs that are common on the Central Highlands just get the blade down wherever you can. There must be some contractors around your area that have the gear. Anyone with a dozer can do it. Once you do this, throw on as much gypsum as you can and you will find it will improve your growth rates enormously. It improves root and water penetration etc. The expense is really worth it. I have seen it done and the result was excellent. Your local landcare folk should put you on to the right people. |
RE: Trees that grow in shale
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I agree, Casuarinas make a great driveway tree. I have them planted down my driveway in Western Vic,(south of Ararat) alternated with Eucalyptus leucoxylyn (rosea) The sp. I have used is Allocasuarina verticilata.
I would keep right away from growing Euc.cladacalyx, The nana or the tall form, terrible limb droppers, always cleaning up under those, not good trees to plant near fences or tracks.
Joylene |
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