Daintree Pine Flowers

[Raging Bull]

I have had a daintree pine (gymnostoma australianum) for a year and a half and it is doing well. About 3 months ago I enlarged the drain holes in the plastic pot it's in and along with several other trees put it into the ground in the hope that it will speed the growth. Since then I have noticed it has been flowering (red arrows) and growing seed cones (brown arrow) constantly. It had more seed cones that had actually matured and opened, shedding its seeds, if there were any.
Can anyone tell me, if I remove the flowers and cones, is it likely that the energy put into producing those would then be re-directed to produce more growth in the tree?

2020.06.12 03 e.JPG

2020.02.05 seed pods.JPG

2020.06.12 04e.JPG

[shibui]

Daintree pine is closely related to casuarinas which have separate male and female plants. I can't find reference to gymnostoma australianum being dioeceous but I think all the flowers on yours are female. Unless there are male plants nearby I doubt that the cones will contain viable seed.

It is generally believed that plants put a lot of effort and resources into flowering and even more into the seed. It therefore follows that if flowers are removed the resources that would have been used to make the flowers will then be put into growth.

[MJL]

What a lovely looking tree! Looking forward to watching that progress.

.... reference to gymnostoma australianum being dioeceous .....

Time for me to spend some time in the Google-sphere learning a new word!

[Raging Bull]

Thanks Neil, I thought that might be the case. I'll go out tomorrow morning and snip off all the flowers.

[DangerousDave]

Yep, dioecious, and definitely look like female flowers there.

Australian Tropical Herbarium is best source for that sort of information up here:

http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/RFK ... lianum.htm

Agree with you and shibui that it is most likely that you will get a diversion of energy toward growth by removing flowers - provided it can be done in a non invasive way, which should be easy for this species.

Nice specimen. Quite like the flowers.. tbh.. would consider just enjoying them

[Raging Bull]

I'll enjoy the flowers when the tree is a bit older, but now it's got some growing to do.

[Elmer]

They are a beautiful tree but unlike it's allied casuarinas very slow to develop a thick trunk and rarely bud back on bare wood.

[tinto]

a really beautiful tree, I wish they were available

[Raging Bull]

Hi Tinto, I bought this one in Northern N.S.W. in a little backwoods village called Upper Burringbar. There is a great Aussie native nursery there, but with one problem, too much choice!

[melbrackstone]

Top nursery that one! Sadly it's a 2 and a half hour trip one way, so need to make it worthwhile....lol.

There is an amazing Podocarpus on the railway line side of the road, opposite the cafes.