Growing eucalypts from seed

[Rhiannon]

Howdy peeps.

I've been considering for a while propagating some Eucs from seed considering there's a whole heap of them around my place. Particularly ghost gums, I've been dying to get my hands on some of those and there's heaps around my place.

So I've been reading up on growing it from seed and it seems there are as many opinions as there are eucs. Initially I thought this might just be climate differences, but there seems to be no correlation between the advice and the climate. Eg. people from both Melb and Queensland said it was fine to do it at any time of year, whilst others from both regions specified months.

I've been looking through to boards but can't find any that detail experience.

So I'm here to pick the brains of those that dabble in Eucs!

When is the best time to germinate? What techniques do you use? Does heating the gumnut make a difference at all? Smoke? Or is it just needed for fire-dependent species? Etc etc.

Obviously it's more helpful if you're in Melbourne, but I'd appreciate any advice/experience.

[bonscythe]

Hi Rhiannon,
Last spring I planted a heap of Spotted Gum (C. maculata) and River Red (E. camaldulensis). Very good germination rate, just running a 2mm trench into some moist sand and planting them straight in.
Tried some from the same seed batch (they were stored in an air-locked bag, in the dark etc.) about a month ago and got a miserable germ. rate.
Not sure what happened but I will just wait till next spring and plant heaps this time.
That's about my experience..hope to have helped somewhat.
Also, you can check the CSIRO's native germination page...lots of help there. As long as you know the binomial name for your ghosties.
Have fun..

[Rhiannon]

I think I read somewhere that Euc seed ages badly so you should plant it right away? Dunno if that'd explain the failure rate of your second batch.

Thanks for your advice. I'll definitely check out that page.

[FlyBri]

Gday Rhiannon and Pat!

The Eucs I know will generally sprout any time of year that there is: (1) viable seed; and (2) sufficient precipitation/moisture in the soil to allow germination. In nature (in Melbourne) Spring and Autumn are traditionally wetter, and the cooler temperatures allow moisture to be retained by the soil for longer periods. As such, if I were to try to propagate Eucs from seed, I would look at doing it in either of these seasons (preferably Spring, if frost is likely to be an issue).

I believe that Euc seed can remain viable for a very long time if it remains in the gumnut on the tree, so you might wish only to collect seeds a week or so before you wish to sow. Once collected (try to get the biggest, oldest looking live gumnuts), you can place them in an envelope and leave them somewhere warm (the top of the fridge, car dashboard, etc) and seeds should be ejected in short time. It is often difficult to distinguish the seeds from the other 'rubbish' that will come out of the gumnut, so it is easiest to simply sprinkle the lot into your chosen planting medium and separate the seedlings once they establish themselves.

Good luck.

Fly.

PS: Rhiannon - whereabouts in Melbourne are you? I'm racking my mind, and I cannot think of a part of Melbourne that is home to the Ghost Gum. Could it be Lemon Scented Gum that you are thinking about?

[Rhiannon]

Thanks for that, Fly. You just answered something I was totally confused about - no one really said where to collect the gumnuts from. One site seemed to suggest that you should collect them after they'd fallen, so I wasn't sure if I should grab them off the tree or the ground.

Also, you could totally be right about that. Everyone one the farms (which are ceasing to be farms now) around here always referred to them as ghost gums so I assumed they were, too. What's the easiest way to tell between the two? Either way, they're both gorgeous (maybe I'm just a sucker for a Euc with a light, smooth trunk). Oh, I'm in Epping, so about an hour (20-25kms) North of the CBD.

[FlyBri]

Gday Rhiannon!

I'm in Hurstbridge, and I get out Epping way quite a bit in my travels. I can't help but think that the trees you describe are probably River Red Gums (E. camaldulensis), as the farms (slums of the future ) are heavily populated by this species. Check out this thread which contains lots of images of the River Reds around Mill Park.

If they are River Reds, the gumnuts will be quite small: maybe up to 8-10mm in diameter. I have only ever collected gumnuts from the tree, and then only the biggest, ripest looking ones that are still alive (you can tell by scratching the side of the gumnut and looking for green underneath).

Good luck, and keep us posted!

Fly.

[shibui]

Lots of white barked eucs that they could be - brittle gum (E. manifera); Manna gum; Sugar gum - native to SA but extensively planted in Vic as windbreaks. Flower buds and seed capsules are used to identify different species.

As Fly said, collect older, darker coloured capsules from further back on the branches if there are choices. Most eucs shed seed as soon as it is ripe, usually after about 10-12 months. Some take a few years to ripen seed and there can be immature casules as well as mature seed furter back on the branches. As ripe casules open on the tree, capsules on the ground will nearly aways be empty or contain infertile seed and chaff.

Most euc seed will germinate most of the year. Recommendations for sowing at a particular time are usually aimed at producing seedlings that are ready to be planted at the best planting time, rather than because that is the best time for germinating the seed (eg seed sown in Nov/Dec will be just right to plant out in Autumn/Winter.)

Follow the tips already given. Watch out for damping off fungus when the seedlings are little. Good sun, less water and/or fungicide will reduce the losses.

Good luck

[Rhiannon]

Hmm, don't think they're reds, the bark looks completely different. But I could of course be wrong, I'm no expert. I'll have to get better acquainted with them (and perhaps stop taking other people's word for it haha) and find out what they are. There's none of them in my yard (this is the first house I've lived in without even one Euc, which depresses me, I practically lived in them as a kid) but there's plenty around so I'll have a closer look.

Cheers for the tips, guys. Muchly appreciated.