Callitris seed collection and other propagation methods?

[sheepdawg]

Hello,

What is everyone's experience with collecting Callitris seeds? Time of year? Or in response to fire/rain?

What about other propagation methods? Cuttings? Air-layering?

[Raging Bull]

Hi sheepdawg,
I've tried to grow callitris from seed without success . But by all means, give it a go. The difficult part, if you're collecting seed yourself, is getting the seed before it leaves the little cones/seedpods. They tend to open up while on the tree and the seed is then dispersed by the wind. If you are lucky enough to be able to reach some pods that are low enough to harvest before they just before they open that's a good start. Then you have to wait for them to open and fall out, a bit like pine cone seeds. The seeds I tried to propagate were then sown in a tray of seed raising mix etc. etc., but of the couple of dozen or so seeds none germinated. Don't know what I did wrong.
Cheers, Frank.

[PWC]

Hi Sheepdawg,
I collected what I thought were Callitris seeds in March this year ( i compared the pods with images on line ) Put them in a paper bag for a few months until they opened. Unfortunately they got mixed up with some pine seeds and the results are attached.I put them into seed trays with standard seed raising mix and left them out in the open.

I am not an expert and will be happy to be corrected but I think they are some form of Callitris.

[shibui]

There's a fair bit of leeway with collecting calitris seed. Seed appears to be viable well before the pods actually open so collect when you see well grown, dark coloured pods.
I've just picked some on the NSW south coast as I won't be able to collect later.
Should be no need for seed pretreatment for calitris. I just sprinkle the seed on pots of standard mix then cover with a very thin layer of extra mix. Down here, early summer is a good time to sow seed of most natives as the seedlings have a full growing season before winter.

[matlea]

Hi PWC
They look like young callitris.

The juvenile foliage is more needle like as per your pictures, eventually they will change to mature foliage.

Raging bull, maybe you had some dud seeds. I've grown them in seed raising mix and even pumice and pine bark mix with success.

The issue I've had to date are transplanting either with plants grown in the ground or if larger roots escape from the open seed raising trays I was using and need to be cut. I'm now trying to just pot grow them from seed.

Once they get more fine feeder roots in a free draining mix they seem to be a bit better with re potting. I also currently give them only a small amount of sun, light shade , after repot as my early experience with repotting them and placing back into full sun was a crispy callitris.

I've only had them going for a few years from seed so a long way to go!

[terryb]

I have collected unopened pods when brown and placed in a paper bag or envelope until they drop their seed. I soaked mine for a couple of days in water before sowing. Some details in this document https://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/ ... n-fact.pdf

The issue I've had to date are transplanting either with plants grown in the ground or if larger roots escape from the open seed raising trays I was using and need to be cut. I'm now trying to just pot grow them from seed.

Once they get more fine feeder roots in a free draining mix they seem to be a bit better with re potting. I also currently give them only a small amount of sun, light shade , after repot as my early experience with repotting them and placing back into full sun was a crispy callitris.

Thanks for the advice Matlea. When do you normally repot and how much do you reduce roots? My first attempt also ended with a crispy Callitris, although I cut it back pretty hard at the same time - which I thought might be the cause. I also have a couple which have escaped their pot,that I will need to repot at some stage.

[matlea]

The ones I have are only young, few years old from seed, so I'm till trying to work them out.
I've repotted a few mid autumn and these pulled through. Tried some just before spring and had some mixed results... but that may have been more to do with the lack of fine feeder roots on some, having only a few larger roots. Some of the ones with minimal fine roots didn't fare so well.
I've also had a couple where they had the slightest of green on their leaves.. looked pretty much olive brown and thought it was as good as dead... and have greened back up.
I don't repot them in the summer or when it's hot as my experience is they brown and die.

I have a few that I'm looking to start a forest planting and a few others that I'll wire some movement into for a stand alone tree.

Long way to go but I'll keep persisting.

[tgooboon]

I bought some Callitris seed on eBay. Bribie Island Pine (Callitris columellaris) 30 Seeds. 17 seeds arrived, I soaked them for 4 hrs, they all sank fairly quickly, then planted them in seedling mix on 21/10/2019, covered them about 6mm deep with the seedling mix, then a light sprinkle of vermiculite for mulch. I have been keeping them moist, but not water logged, i have them in full sun open to the air. As of today, still not one has popped up. Fingers crossed