Alocasuarina Littoralis Layers

[Jan]

20220205_134208 Growing well.jpg

The separated layer that I treated like a cutting is leaping ahead with buds popping all over and excellent roots (growing in the correct direction!).

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I've trimmed back some of the lanky growth that I was not planning to use. I will let it settle for a few weeks yet and then pot it on into a plastic pot to continue root development. I will want longish roots as I am planning to grow this on as a semi cascade.

The largest layer (with the dead side) is still calloused nicely but no roots formed at this stage. I applied hormone liquid and dusted with hormone powder and closed up the layer to wait. I hope some warmer weather (will we have any this season?) will kick it along. After the success with the first layer that I removed with minimal roots I may even eventually remove this with layer and give it the "cutting" treatment that has worked so well with the layer in the images above.

The third layer had the plastic and sphagnum removed (stock/wildlife rubbing?) and had dried out so I've decided not to pursue it. I have put a layer on another layer on a more promising branch and will see how long it takes to callous up when I layer it in a more appropriate season.

[Jan]

I'll get the bad news out of the way first; the Layer/cutting that was doing so well to start with - it did not survive.

The new green shoots were lying on the top of the potting mix - "Something" knocking them off, perhaps? I tried relocating the plant to another part of the shade house - still the same problem . I placed a small tray of snail/slug pellets on the soil surface in case that was the problem. Still happening.

Relocated again, away from the shade house but still happening. Possibly the same "critter" that ringbarked my Gingko? I just don't know

Gave it Seasol to try to invigorate it but it all came to nothing as the plant browned off, roots died off (I could see them through the clear propagator side). I left it in the hope that it may yet survive but to no avail.

Other Alocasuarina Littoralis in pots were growing well and untouched so I have no solution - very frustrating.

The good news is that the large layer with the dead side that was showing promise of roots when checked on December 8th, 2021, 12:28 pm, has two roots with fine roots branching off them and heaps of callousing (white knobs) that is looking promising.

20230101_132550 New roots.jpg

No problem with this one as gravity is taking the roots in the correct direction this time. I "buttered" the callous with a honey/hormone powder mix (it works on cuttings so worth a shot) in the hope of getting enough root to separate this layer this season.

20230101_135224 Refreshed layer.jpg

While it has been an odd year so far, trees are starting to move in response to the increased warmth and rain so . I'm trying to be patient to ensure that this one survives. Nature has already done a far better job on it that I could have

Another layer at the other end of the grove had bridged but still showed good thickening in the area that I'm hopeful of roots so on the way to a decent taper. I cleaned up the bridging area and "buttered" this one with the honey/hormone mix, applied moist sphagnum, fresh, thick plastic and closed it up to wait for roots

I don't give up easily. The first layer to develop roots was thinner that the two remaining and younger, and with a vigorous young shoot to encourage growth but it has shown the possibility of layering these successfully; the older material may take longer but the new roots on the thickest and oldest layer has given me hope.

I await developments.

[PWC]

Thanks for the update Jan, good to see that your perseverance is paying off, we don't expect 100% success with layers so it's good the results you are achieving. I did try an unsuccessful air layer on a Casuarina last year, maybe I should have persevered and set multiple layers again this year.

[Jan]

Checked the layers this morning, the large one started in April 2021, has a strong root and a lot of impressive callous so I've decided to remove it and pot up. I'll treat it as a giant cutting and have more success that with the first layer that I removed.

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I cleaned out the loose rotted timber in the centre of the base (I plan to burn this hollow/dead wood to harden the wood at a later date) and applied root hormone to the base of the cut, the callous areas and a sprinkle on the roots, before potting into an old water well pot in a loose, gravelly mix. I plan to treat this as a cutting so, with the water well pot, will try to maintain moisture levels in the potting mix to encourage the large areas of callous to produce roots. I was encouraged by the root growth on the layer that I removed earlier so am hopeful that this one will power on in the remaining mild weather. The "critter" that I suspect was the cause of first layer's demise has been eliminated. I will mist the greenery regularly to help with water loss and have soaked the plant in a seaweed mix before planting. I will add Native slow release fertiliser in the spring.

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I am impressed with the root growth since January on this older material and am hopeful

The remaining layer has excellent flare and callous forming so I added moisture to the sphagnum and closed it up to review later. We have thunderstorms today so I'll leave it at that and will apply hormone to this remaining layer to get those roots moving on a drier day.

Jan

[TimIAm]

You've got lots of good options there. I reckon you could turn any of them into a front.

I really like that last 'side' picture, very dramatic movement.

[Jan]

I should have mentioned that I changed the planting angle a little before watering in. The lower trunk is on more of an angle and the trunk after the first bend is angling up and back more to try to get away from the 90 degree look. This has also raised the lower branch and lowered the higher branch a bit so it looks better balanced.
Another good thing about the water well pot is that it comes with holes in the rim to allow for hanging chains. Just the spot to thread strong cord to tie the tree into position. I've used curved sections of large irrigation pipe to protect the bark from the stress of being tied down.

[Jan]

Yes, Tim. Nature has had its fun with this one that's why I persisted with it.

I have in mind a round, euchy green bonsai pot for its home, presuming it survives a few seasons in the water well pot. That way I can change the "front" as the mood and the tree changes.

Thanks for the encouragement.

[Jan]

Sad news; looks like this latest layer to be potted is not going to make it.
The leaves died off but, unlike the first one, it has not shot any new buds.
My guess is that as this was much older wood without any vigorous young growth to get the sap moving it has decided not to cooperate.
Shame, it could have been something special.

I have one more layer in play as yet. This is on a vigorous young branch with good branch placement. It is too leggy at the moment but will be cut back when I separate it from the main plant.
I have been tending it diligently, keeping the water up to the layer and occasionally "buttering" it with more root promoting hormone. It has been swelling nicely, making a nice taper and a cauliflower like structure that I presume will be the source of the new roots. A couple of short ones are in evidence at the moment.

I am going to stay my hand with this one until I get a good batch of roots growing before I remove it.
I think my first failure was due to "varmint" intervention, eating/knocking off the new green buds. (This varmint also ringbarked a Ginko and had a chew on a few others before I solved the problem.)
The second I put down to older wood not being as robust as I would have liked, so, third time lucky.

I can grow this species; I have successfully dug a few from the driveway that have been going for a few years now. One has even made it into a bonsai pot. These are smaller plants and I had been hopeful of adding a larger (but still liftable) plant to the collection.

I will continue tending to this last layer into our forecast hot summer and see how I go. Wish me luck.

Jan