Casuarina layering – when?
Posted: January 21st, 2010, 8:34 pm
I’ve been reading a lot of enthusiastic posts about casuarinas and am interested in giving some a go. I would like to make a start this growing season; is it possible to try layering some interesting branches at this time of year?
We have many plants of two distinct types casuarina growing on our property; a longer needled, smoother barked tree locally known as She-Oak and a shorter needled (less than half the she-oak), rough barked tree, locally known as Bull-Oak. Both are growing in granite soils - I use the term “soil” somewhat tongue-in-cheek as they grow on the rocky ridges where there is precious little soil! The Black Cockatoos with the red markings seem to favor the Bull-Oak seeds. I’ll get some images types of both and post them; hopefully someone will be able to identify them.
I am interested in the Bull-Oak as possible layering candidates; they have some wonderful contorted branches that are a real temptation.
I did collect a small She-Oak early this month. It was in a very exposed, bone dry spot and I didn’t know if it would survive there to be collected next spring. It has reasonable roots and is surviving the transplant to a training pot well so far, but I will need to build a shorter root system next spring. For the moment I’m just letting it adjust to its new home. Here’s an image of the plant as I found it. Jan.
We have many plants of two distinct types casuarina growing on our property; a longer needled, smoother barked tree locally known as She-Oak and a shorter needled (less than half the she-oak), rough barked tree, locally known as Bull-Oak. Both are growing in granite soils - I use the term “soil” somewhat tongue-in-cheek as they grow on the rocky ridges where there is precious little soil! The Black Cockatoos with the red markings seem to favor the Bull-Oak seeds. I’ll get some images types of both and post them; hopefully someone will be able to identify them.
I am interested in the Bull-Oak as possible layering candidates; they have some wonderful contorted branches that are a real temptation.
I did collect a small She-Oak early this month. It was in a very exposed, bone dry spot and I didn’t know if it would survive there to be collected next spring. It has reasonable roots and is surviving the transplant to a training pot well so far, but I will need to build a shorter root system next spring. For the moment I’m just letting it adjust to its new home. Here’s an image of the plant as I found it. Jan.