Eucalyptus from seed

[lackhand]

So I've searched the forums and can't find anything, but I'm going to plant a batch of eucalyptus seeds. I'm not sure what species, but I'll try to get some pictures for ID today. Any thoughts on starting them from seed? I found some information that suggested some of them might do better with a cold stratification, but I'm going to guess that the ones that do well here in the Sonoran Desert probably don't need that. I'm also hoping to collect some e. camaldulensis seeds to get going too. Any thoughts or advice would be hugely appreciated.

[JaseH]

Definitely no expert here, but I recently purchased a bunch of eucalyptus seeds online(River Red Gum, Cider Gum and Peppermint Gum), the seed packets had a label with some brief info for planting, only the Peppermint gum mentioned that strike rate could be improved by cold stratification. Being impatient I didnt bother and just planted them all straight out in a seedling tray, they all popped fine within a week or so.

[Jason]

Wouldn't think you'd need to stratify them, as they wouldn't go through that in nature down here

This article isn't too bad, not thorough, but some general info on when to plant: http://asgap.org.au/APOL2007/oct07-s1.html

Don't think they're too hard to germinate, but never tried it myself

[kcpoole]

I have them self sow in the garden all the time. No need to stratify

[lackhand]

Here are some photos of the tree that donated the seeds. Any thoughts on ID would be most helpful.

IMG_2943.jpg

IMG_2941.jpg

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[Rory]

Wow, you must have patience and youth if you are attempting eucalyptus from seed. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but I just couldn't be bothered waiting. My hat is off to you. It would be almost impossible to identify the tree without the flower I would think.

[kcpoole]

Hi Karl
Eucalyptus buggeredifiknowius
As buddy says real hard to identify.

I do disagree with buddy tho as they can grow quickly especially if planted out. I have one in the ground now for about 4 years and the stump is 2 inches or so across.
Going to lif this year.

Ken

[shibui]

You will need to get us some pics of buds, flowers and seed capsules to get an ID Karl. There are hundreds of them with leaves and bark like that.

Have any seeds germinated yet? No need to stratify except maybe for a couple of alpine species which this one is not. Seed is very small so is usually just sprinkled over the surface of the mix and watered in or with maybe just the very thinnest covering over them. Usually germinate in just a couple of weeks.

[Rory]

I do disagree with buddy tho as they can grow quickly especially if planted out. I have one in the ground now for about 4 years and the stump is 2 inches or so across.
Going to lif this year.

Ken

Yeah, I just meant, as in I would get them as seedlings or slightly advanced tubestock and just pay the extra money. Certain varieties thicken faster than a well fed fig, but growing anything from seed is painful for a time poor man such as myself.

[lackhand]

Glad I'm not the only one that thinks they look pretty similar. I have the seed pods and will post pictures of those. I know some of the other eucs have been flowering around here, so I'll drive by this one and see if I can get a picture of that. I don't see this tree every day, but it's not far out of the way.

I haven't actually planted the seeds yet. I'm waiting for seeds to ripen on a river red gum in my neighborhood so I can start both at the same time. I've also been debating the merits of buying a mini-greenhouse with a heat mat to increase success with growing from seed and cuttings too. I'll be sure to post some photos when I get around to planting and get some seedlings coming up.

Wow, you must have patience and youth if you are attempting eucalyptus from seed. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but I just couldn't be bothered waiting. My hat is off to you. It would be almost impossible to identify the tree without the flower I would think.

Yes, I am a poor student, so I have more time than money. The real kicker at the moment though is that I just can't find these around here. They are sold at the nurseries here as larger trees, but nothing small or affordable (I've looked all over town), and I have a real hard time paying lots of money for a tree that I'll have to hack down low and will still take a long time to develop anyway. So seeds it is. I'm having the same problem trying to find casuarina. I've found two here in town, and both were over $100.

[Rory]

oh dang... i just noticed you are in the US. Yeah, that sux. I'd die if I had to pay $100 for a casuarina. I guess I take it for granted where we live. Now, I see why you are trying to grow from seed. That makes sense now. Can you not get them shipped over in the post as seedlings? Does quarantine in the US stop you? You could probably take a look at the list of available species that you can import seedlings online somewhere I would think. I know bringing into Australia is a freaking nightmare, but going the other way I didn't think US quarantine was as strict.

That is a shame, because eucalypts and casuarina make such beautiful bonsai. I find the bonsai that I trim the most routinely apart from citrus and casuarina, would be eucalypts, as they do thicken fast and give you nice bark early on too. I used to grow stock from seed about 14 years ago, but I had a balcony at the time, and the wind and lack of sun kept hampering me, so I gave up. It is fun though to watch the little guys pop their heads up for the first time and stretch out their little starter leaves.

[shibui]

I've also been debating the merits of buying a mini-greenhouse with a heat mat to increase success with growing from seed and cuttings too.

No need to waste your money if it is just for growing eucs. They will germinate very well without any help and high humidity in a closed greenhouse can cause a whole lot of fungal problems. Eucs are almost impossible to grow as cuttings.

Euc seed will germinate all year round. Seedling growth can be a bit slow over winter so spring sowing gives faster results. We usually sow in late spring but that is just to achieve saleable plants by the end of summer when planting season starts after the rain comes.

Over here River red seed ripens early-mid summer and when it does, nearly all the pods open at the same time so you do need to get in before its all gone. Most seed will be viable some time before the pods are fully mature so probably best to pick them when they start to change colour.

note: your climate should be similar enough to ours that all the above should be reasonably accurate there too.

[lackhand]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

bonsaibuddyman - I could probably import, but it's not easy, and probably wouldn't be worth the cost by the time all was said and done. There are a few options I'm still exploring. I know of a few people in Florida that grow casuarina as bonsai, and while it's on the other side of the continent, it is within the US, so it would be much easier and more affordable than importing from Australia. There is also an Australian native nursery a ways out of town that brags about the size of their operation, and I'm hoping to take a trip out there someday soon. I know they are the source of a lot of the mels, eucs, and callistemons the local nurseries carry, but I'm not sure if they have casuarinas. Maybe I'll get out there this summer and see.

shibui - The mini greenhouse wouldn't be just for euc seeds, but lots of others and various cuttings too. The idea would be to just keep something in there growing all the time, and maybe I can generate some extra plants to sell/trade to club members. With a hidden motive of promoting Aussie trees as bonsai. I've found a cheapish one that should allow me to adjust humidity too, just a matter of figuring where to spend my limited bonsai budget.

As for the river red seeds, the pods are just changing colors now. I grabbed a few already, and I'll grab a few more tomorrow. Hopefully the seed from the first batch will be viable. No big deal if not, since the seed is free. It is still spring over here but getting hot, and the Aus natives I have seem to grow all through our mild winter, so I figured the seeds should be okay any time of year too.