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One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 6:39 pm
by Bretts
I wonder how many members know the one and only Aussie native that is deciduous. I tried to grow from seed this year but failed.
Be honest no google.
The first correct answer gets to send me one :P
They are meant to prefer a cold climate but I really want to give them a go here out in parkes.

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 6:52 pm
by Asus101
There are three....

Tasmanian beech, red cedar and white cedar (they are not related I dont think.)

Im going to guess at you trying the tas beech? I had them growing in the backyard when I was a kid.

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 7:22 pm
by Joel
Asus101 wrote:There are three....

Tasmanian beech, red cedar and white cedar (they are not related I dont think.)

Im going to guess at you trying the tas beech? I had them growing in the backyard when I was a kid.
I was gonna say Tasmanian beech :( I want to try nothofagus. According to Wikipedia, there are 3 beech species native to australia!

JayC

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 7:42 pm
by Bretts
It seems Asus has me> Chating in BT chat after this post I bet him there was only one.
He showed me this
http://asgap.org.au/faq-18.html
It seems i owe Asus 6 trident seedlings lol

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 7:46 pm
by Bretts
nothofagus is correct Jay I think there are 2-3 species native to Australia but only one of them is Deciduous
Doers any one have any I am very keen to get my hands on some

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 7:55 pm
by Bretts
See here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothofagus_gunnii
I think they would make great bonsai

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 7:58 pm
by kcpoole
Native to tassie

Some type of ELm? I was talking about it to Jay on the weekend

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 8:24 pm
by Bretts
I believe it is a Beech Kc
another link
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=3244
Those leaves look Awesome to me but I am a deciduous lover :lol:

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 8:41 pm
by Pup
Also one Ficus infectoria.
Also some others if you dont water them.
I have a Melaleuca that has done this three times to me!! it is called Houdini now instead of parviflora :) Pup

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 9:12 pm
by Bretts
I could not find any info on the Ficus infectoria. Can you elaborate on this Fig Pup

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 9:20 pm
by Pup
soltan wrote:I could not find any info on the Ficus infectoria. Can you elaborate on this Fig Pup
I had one years ago gave me the woops. When we had a visiting tutor here from Queensland by the name of John Forest. I asked him if he knew it as it was supposed to be one of the many from there. He told me the name and said they were deciduous. That is all I have as I said gave me the so I sold it at the person that has it says it looses them every year. Maybe because we are colder in winter than sunny whatever. Ah yes perfect one day Cyclones the next.
:lol: :D Pup

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 9:50 pm
by Spinner
Soltan, if Fagus are available Wil Fletcher from Plants of Tasmania Nursery would be your best bet. I don't have his number but a yellow pages search would soon find it. Wil also has a bonsai nursery (only Tassie natives)so his knowledge should be vast!

Spinner

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 11th, 2008, 10:20 am
by aaron_tas
you're right spinster,
will has them up at his nursery (his new nursery ISLAND BONSAI is awesome!!)
here is a couple of his a few years ago now, in his old bonsai nursery...
tazzie trip2 032EDITED.jpg
tazzie trip2 034EDITED.jpg
Will is certainly an abundance of information on the tassie trees, so if you're in town, i urge you to pay him a visit.
or if you're not the travelling type, but you travel the www, try his website:

http://islandbonsai.com.au

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 11th, 2008, 4:32 pm
by tanglefoot
Nothofagus gunnii (Deciduous Beech) is one of Tasmania's iconic and much loved endemic plants. It occurs high up in the mountains of the south and west, and normally grows as a tangled, intricate large shrub or small tree. It is an exquisite plant, the foliage turning rich tones of golden hues in autumn, the tracery of the bare winter branches is sublime, and the bright fresh new foliage in spring, a delight! Do I love this plant? Yep. It's often featured in Tassie wilderness calanders, naturally with autumn photos!

For bonsai it can be difficult. Lots of people have failed. It seems to be most likely to survive in a really well drained mix, but likes to be moist. At Island Bonsai nursery, out of Hobart, they are doing well, mostly mounded up, often in a rocky landscape, so that they are really well drained. Roots are disturbed only in winter, and even then, not too much! And they like to be cool.........

There are Nothofagus gunnii available for sale at Island Bonsai ($25 in 125mm pots, approx 4-5 yrs old) and they can be posted to eastern states, but I don't reckon they'd survive hot and humid, so forget Sydney and Brisbane! Maybe Dandenongs, Blue Mtn's etc, but they'd still have to be kept as cool as possible in summer.

So there's a Tasmanian perspective on probably one of my most favourite plants....well top ten anyway! Cheers!

Re: One Australian Deciduous species

Posted: December 11th, 2008, 5:07 pm
by Jon Chown
Good post Tanglefoot - That ones not on my shopping list for up here.
So there's a Tasmanian perspective on probably one of my most favourite plants....well top ten anyway! Cheers!
Show us some of the other 9 please.

Jon