Santalum acuminatum

[Erma John]

I need rose plant

[roughbarked]

Which rose plant?

[stru]

Gentlemen...i owuld like to add some comment to your santalum thread. I have been growing these plants for about six years now, collecting and germinating seed and growing the trees. I come to the discussion with an indepth knowledge of santalum acuminatum natural growth habits from many wild 'plantations'.
The myporum as a host is 'okay'...and what i mean by that is, sure the quandong will host onto it no probs, however the myoporum can and will out compete the quandong in a pot.
Quandongs should be planted out as early as possible, not so much because they out grow there pots as threy dislike root disturbance. It can take them a while to recover and some just turn their toes up and die.
I have seen a friends quandongs out at Dubbo hosted into pots with 'stawberry clover' grass and they do much better than the myoporum.

As for naturally occuring tree's growing in association with myoporum parvifolium...(creeping boobialla) i have never seen this. They do host onto grasses, shrubs and forbs such as Dianella's and Wallaby grasses. Every now and then you will find a quandong growing on it's own in the middle of a paddock!! seemingly with no host, but more often than not there are small 'plantations' of quandongs. Sometimes in isolation to any other larger trees or indeed near by shrubs and they appear to have hosted onto themselves!!
Another myoporum which does however grow through the same forests as the quandong is Myoporum debilis or 'winter apple'..however i have not seen QD's hosted with this plant specifically.

once planted out it would be wise (but not essential) to do so near some sort of nitrogen fixing plant, wattles, casuarina etc...maybe even try hardenbergia for something different. There is some scientific evidence to suggest that the quandong can be affected by the type of plant it is hosted with. One example i saw was hosted onto White Cedar (Melia azedarach) and this quandong was much less affected by insect attack than those which were not hosted to the cedar.

They are not a fully parasitic plant more what you would call a semi-parastic. I have found many growing in association with both callitris and casuarina trees through eucalyptus 'box' type woodland.

From what i have seen this year it would seem that down here in the riverina area of NSW we are headed for a 'bumper' quandong crop. Many trees are laden with green developing fruit. There should be a lot of fruit and seed this year.

I think the key is to host them in the garden with perrenial rather than strictly annual plants and certainly not with anything that you or the neighbour might decide to kill with weed killer, you'll more than likely kill your quandong as well.
All my garden quandongs are with wattles, dianella's, wallaby grasses and they are doing reasonably well. they're not the quickest growing plants but should fruit from seed in three to four years and they don't mind a little pruning to keep them in shape.

As for keeping one in a pot indefinately..it's probably not impossible but the problem with pots is getting the soil moisture just right. They go from wet to dry very quickly which is not what quandongs naturally grow in. The soil moisture (as low as it might be) is always fairly constant and drains fairly quickly. Santalum acuminatum grows mainly through the 400mm to 600mm rainfall zones. Constant wet feet will stunt or kill them and in a pot you might find that the hosted plant will out-compete the quandong. But hey, the worst that can happen is that it dies!! the best is that it grows and fruits. I can't see a quandong becoming a weed, but the myoporum certainly could...and does in a garden.

stru.

[roughbarked]

Santalum acuminatum, with small monkey flower as preliminary host.
Mimulus prostratus (Small Monkey Flower)

drying quandongs.

Slater damage to quandong seedling at ground level.

Seedling growing from direct sowing in veg garden.

[roughbarked]

and... G'day Stru. Pleased to make your acquaintance.

About my comments on Myoporum. They are capable of being triffids if they get enough water. If kept dry though, they don't spread far.

The difference is exactly what you pointed out. Quandongs require a more stable moisture level slightly higher than the Myoprum needs to keep it small. Myoporum likes to grow lushly with added aqua and this may cause it to out compete the Santalum.

[stru]

i had a quick look at some along the roadside on my way to Griffith yesterday. There is alot of green fruit showing so this looks promising for a good (sustainable) harvest.

[roughbarked]

Wonders to myself aloud what was Stru doing in Griffith.. Yes, the fruit will ripen within a couple of months.

[stru]

LOL...stru was i griffith for work. my job takes me most places through the riverina...deni/moama/corowa/albury/wagga/narrandera/leeton wyalong/young/coota'/tumut...
i always drive with one eye on the side of the road..LOL..never know what you'll find

[roughbarked]

Hmm, I wrote a book about what one sees on the side of the road..