keeteleeria

[squizzy]

Hi all,

I have just been back to my hometown where there are 2 trees which have always had me wondering. I thought I might post this topic to see if I can get some insight.

As far as I can see they seem to fit the discription of a Keeteleeria of some sort. The trees are approx 7 metres high by about 7 metres wide. The climate they are growing in is tsandard for the mid north coast of nsw. The cones are roughly the size of a soft drink can.

I have attached a few photos of the trees in question. Can anyone shed some light please?

Cheers

Squizz

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[fiveoffive]

love to see it as a bonsai

[Joel]

Looks like Keteleria fortunei to me. There are several healthy mature trees in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. They are very inspiring.

Joel

[squizzy]

It seems there is not a great deal of info on this tree or any interest in it as a bonsai. I only found one picture on a google search for keeteleeria as a bonsai. I wonder why? It looks reasonably hardy.

[squizzy]

I have just planted the seed out for this tree and was wondering if anyone new if I was supposed to straify the seed? I had 1 single plant come up when I was younger but lost it somewhere along the way (probably for neglect) and I cannot remember if I put the seed in the fridge then or not. From what I have found on the internet it seems they do not need to be stratified but I guess I just wanted to see if anyone had more info. Its a difficult tree to get info on.

Cheers

Squizz

[Hackimoto]

Wow Squizzy, would I love to play with that species for a while. Just did a Google and being from southern China with a climate similar to ours, I would think that they wouldn't need to be stratified. More research needed on that. It looks like a dream conifer for our mild climate as it will "Coppice" meaning that it will re shoot from old, bare wood, needles are relatively short,and it looks like a spruce. (Which does not do well in the heat and humidity.) How many seeds did you get ? I would love to trial a couple if you have enough.

[squizzy]

Hi Hackimoto,

How far from Kempsey do you live? I no longer live there but I frequently visit as my parents are still there. I have planted everything I had because last time I tried I only got one to come up??? I will see how this lot goes. If I have sucsess I am happy to share a few around as like I said this species seems to good not to be used more in my opinion.

If you are close enough to Kempsey I can PM you some directions.

Squizz

[Hackimoto]

Thanks for the offer Squiz, but I'm right up near the Qld border. Maybe some seeds sometime.

[squizzy]

Pm me an address or PO box Hackimoto as I think there are some still in the cones I have just put in the rubbish which I will pick back out.

Cheers

Squizz

[Hackimoto]

Just a thought Squiz, I'm thinking that if it was good for Bonsai or Pen Jing, you would think there would be more pics on the internet and the Chinese would have used them more. Anyway if we don't try we will never know, Eh.

[bodhidharma]

It has very similar foliage to a Douglas Fir. (Oregon)

[squizzy]

Happy to report that a least 1 seed has begun to germinate from the batch I had collected mid winter. I have been back to the tree about 2 weeks ago and next years cones are starting to form and it is loaded. I have a good feeling about this species.

Squizz

[Hackimoto]

Still waiting for mine to germinate, waiting, waiting But I no complain

[squizzy]

Yours should be fine hack. I would have to say about 90% of the seeds look unformed but of the remainning 10% I hope we can get a few up. I have just spotted a second one so things are looking up from my last attempt.

Squizz

[squizzy]

Was looking at these little trees the other day thinking I needed to update the thread.

They only get the 1 flush of growth per year but this year has been more substantial than the past few. There is 1 standout tree as far as vigor. I hope I live long enough to see something become of these.

Squizz