Wollema pine tree

[planthunter]

At the weekend I purchased a 1.5 metre Wollema pine tree, it has gorgeous apple green foliage and is so healthy. Last night I transplanted it into a large clay pot and put it in a sheltered slightly shaded spot in my back garden.

Does anyone else have any in cultivation, there must be a few of you guys that have some being that it came from OZ?

[cherax]

You mean Wollemi.
Yep it is beautiful and can tolerate extremes quite well.
My father has a nice specimen that grows v. strongly and deals with frosts and minus overnight temps.

[planthunter]

I thought the spelling was not quite right. Thanks. The weather here in ole blighty idoes get a bit chilly. Its the cold winds that do the most damage so I put it near a hedge to absorb the worst of the wind. I live high up on a hill near Dartmoor so the weather gets interesting sometimes. The thing I want to do is to encourage it to produce fertile seed and grow it myself, now that would be something.

[cherax]

Wollemia nobilis. Nobilis as in Chris Noble the National Parks Ranger that discovered them whilst canyoning. Are you aware that their existence is only less that 100km from central Sydney?
I suggest that you grab 'The Wollemi Pine' James Woodford, Text Publishing which is the be all and end all regarding the whole history of this amazing plant. Quite a read indeed!. Off the top of my head, there are separate Male and female cones/trees (dont quote me there, I have the book on my lap and not much time!). They all have the same DNA. A first that blew them all away. You can propagate them simply from cuttings therefore no need for cones/seeds. My efforts failed but then again I didnt really make any effort. Commercially they have been introduced from tissue culture.
Have they developed any 'icecaps' over winter?
Goodluck! A

[planthunter]

Yes I have read 'The Wollemi Pine' James Woodford, it is a fantastic book. Once I started reading it I just had to carry on till it was finished without any interuptions apart from going to bed late that night and finishing it the next day, I still have it and will read it again at some point. The facts are truly amazing, yes the individual trees carry male and female cones and the fact that they share virtually the same DNA suggests to me that they are maybe descended from one or 2 trees. I have tried cuttings myself but no luck either. Over here in ol blighty it is late summer so it is covered in lush apple green leaves and looking a bit unruly with 2 extra branches growing from the base as it does its coppising thing. The weather will be cooling down by about September/October so will keep you posted on the icecaps. Thanks Bud.

[eataust]

A large Wollemi pine is something I'm eyeing off for a particular corner of the garden. Being from the Blue Mountains myself, I feel a sort of possessive pride about the thing :)

I need to improve the soil a bit first though; they're from sandstone soils, and I'm on clay. And I don't want it in a pot 'cos I kill things in pots ...

[planthunter]

Go for it, they are gorgeous trees and imagine how good it would be to produce viable seed from it.

All the info that I've seen say be carefull not to let its roots sit in water or it will cark it.

When mine gets to big for its pot mine it will go in the garden but I also have a clay soil, wet in winter and bone dry in summer so will plant it on an existing bank of soil which should provide good drainage in wet weather and just water well in summer till established.

[stru]

i have two, both about 1.2 metres high, found them on a throw out rack for half price a few years ago, took them home, soaked them for a couple of days in a solution of liquid fertiliser to rehydrate. so they were in pots for about two years, i have planted them out last march and they're going qutie well. they have some shelter in a partly shaded spot in granite soil. i will have to water them this weekend, which will be the first watering they've had since april may last year...we've had good rain, regularly in our part of the world. they're going great.