[NATURAL] Allocasuarina nana - Rory

[Rory]

Allocasuarina nana

From my experience and conditions, this casuarina grows best in a moderate draining mix, with about 30% river sand.
It doesn't appear to grow well under shaded conditions and branches tend to weaken if not exposed to a few hours sun a day. They are relatively hardy against any pests.

Trunk chops are not recommended at the base, as I found they can often die altogether if there is no remaining foliage on them. I leave a lot of foliage on the tree after a trunk chop.

This was acquired as a needle thin seedling and allowed to grow freely. It has been repotted once. It is given osmocote slow release fertilizer and power feed liquid fertilizer at full strength.

The internodes are quite short and its quite an 'adorable' casuarina once you maintain the basics.

Cost: $3
Private nursery outside Canberra (can't remember the name)

comp1.jpg

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[melbrackstone]

Always a treat to see your work with Cassies, Rory.

[Rory]

So I have bent the entire structure downwards to recreate that - old gnarly tree that contorts out over the edge of a creek, or at the edge of a beach - look
I may succeed or fail, but it will be fun nonetheless.
I have added a little bit of movement into the main trunk, but wont really work it for another year or so.

I acquired a very useful Eucalyptus stick with a wedge, which was used to brace the structure. It also functions as a great toy for throwing at a dog. You can usually find them littered below a large Gum tree, or in my case they often fall on your head. Another great advantage is that you don't have to go and get the wire, and instead you can continue drinking your beer uninterrupted. I highly recommend sticks.

If Allo nana get a lot of sun you can create some amazing material with them, because they are inclined to grow just as well prostrate or upright.
In fact some of the material I am growing, naturally develop low and twisted growth, but not the two that I have entered into this comp.

Cas1.jpg

[Rory]

[boom64]

Looking good Rory ,going to thicken up pretty quick with all those sacrifices down low or are they part of the master plan. Cheers John.

[Rory]

Looking good Rory ,going to thicken up pretty quick with all those sacrifices down low or are they part of the master plan. Cheers John.

Hi John,

Yes they are part of the plan. That was what attracted me to this piece of material initially.

For that Micromyrtus that I withdrew, it’s finally getting sun now.
I’ll throw up a pic later in the year if it comes good.

[Rory]

Nothing much to report here. I've just allowed it to thicken.
It was covered in flowers not long ago, and the camera has focused on the trunks. Next time I'll get a better shot to show the tree in flower.

Allocasuarina nana 1-05 16Sep2019.jpg

[Jiro]

Coming along nicely, how does the bark turn out on the nana?

Just came into a few casuarina seedlings last week, my dad pulled them up from the nature strip outside his house for me but I'm yet to identify the parent tree. It's huge, easily 20-30m tall and has an enormous trunk on it, probably pushing 2m in diameter.

[Rory]

Coming along nicely, how does the bark turn out on the nana?

I'll let you know. So far no sign, but they're only about 2+ years old. Ive seen amazing bark on these from photos, but I'm also curious as to when they bark up.

Just came into a few casuarina seedlings last week, my dad pulled them up from the nature strip outside his house for me but I'm yet to identify the parent tree. It's huge, easily 20-30m tall and has an enormous trunk on it, probably pushing 2m in diameter.

That's awesome. Old casys can look majestic.

[Rory]

Dead dead deadskeees.

Unfortunately I learned the hard way that this species will not tolerate anything except fast drainage.

I had repotted this about 4 or 5 months ago after noticing it declining in health. Some of the roots looked rotten.
I removed the rotted roots and sprayed with a medium dose of rid-rot and placed into fresh mix.

It didn't make it.