[Wanted] Lord howe island flora

[Hornet]

I have a keen interest in the flora and fauna of lord howe island, unfortunate;y its very hard to come across any of it on the mainland. In paticular i'm chasing lord howe island fig Ficus macrophylla ssp. columnaris, Lord howe pandanus Pandanus forsteri, Mountain rose Metrosideros nervulosa, Wedding lilly Dietes robinsoniana, Lord howe melaleuca Melaleuca howeana and Lignum vitae tree Sophora howinsula. I'm chasing seed, cuttings or plants. If you have access to any of these please let me know.

John

[aussie4bonsai]

Hi John
I have what Lord Howe fig that I am trying to bonsai.
I wouldn’t know if it is Lord Howe fig the previous owner said it was.
I have in the last month cut it right back And thrown all the cutting out, in two months I can post a photo of a leaf for you to check.

IMG_0265.JPG

You are welcome to the one closest to the wall.
Barry

[sreeve]

Hi John,
These are photos of the leaf which Dad (Barry) is referring.
Looking it up on the internet, it does seem to look to be the same fig you are looking for.
Steve

DSCN1981.JPG

DSCN1982.JPG

[Joel]

The leaf is almost identical to the normal F. macrophylla, the difference being the HUGE amount of aerial roots it produces. I know where there is one in Sydney but I am not allowed to take cuttings from it. The Dietes robinsoniana has had a name change (google it. I can't remember). Try using both names if asking for it in a nursery. They are quite common.

Joel

[Hornet]

Was unable to find any info regarding a name change for Dietes robinsoniana, i did however find a synonym, Moraea robinsoniana. Searching for that however just came up with Dietes robinsoniana. There are a few exotic Dietes common ly available but have never seen this species available. I did find a couple of sources doing a search just now, a seed supplier in the UK and a wholesale native tubstock nursery here in aus but they have no retail outlets in qld. Might have to see if someone in the southern states can buy some and send them up to me. I have regular african dietes in the garden but really want the lord howe species as i just love our natives

[Joel]

Was unable to find any info regarding a name change for Dietes robinsoniana, i did however find a synonym, Moraea robinsoniana. Searching for that however just came up with Dietes robinsoniana. There are a few exotic Dietes common ly available but have never seen this species available. I did find a couple of sources doing a search just now, a seed supplier in the UK and a wholesale native tubstock nursery here in aus but they have no retail outlets in qld. Might have to see if someone in the southern states can buy some and send them up to me. I have regular african dietes in the garden but really want the lord howe species as i just love our natives

I'll keep an eye out. Pester me now and then to remind me as I have a notoriously bad memory.

Joel

[Hornet]

cheers mate, heres a list of nurserys that stock plants from the wholesaler that grows em.

http://www.bushlandflora.com.au/retail_ ... hp?uid=NSW

John

[Roger]

Here are some references that might be helpful:

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodivers ... index.html [flora of Australia On Line, volume on Lord Howe Island (and Norfolk too).

Dietes robinsoniana appears to be the name currently recognised in the "Australian Plant Name Index" and by the Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria. The Moraea name appears to be a later name based on the same 'type specimen'.

[soda]

My parents honeymooned at Learn How Island so this post sparked an interest and I now want to complete a small circle.

I am going to have a crack at striking Melaleuca Howeana from cutting , here is the material.



Was the darndest thing, walking through a 'royal' collection near work and bumped into a tree and sadly this fell off . I will return a seedling to them if they strike, in good faith. Will let you know Hornet if I have any luck and will send you one if I get lucky.

Stunning tree btw and would make an excellent Bonsai imo.

Little article I found on stricking native cuttings.
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1693434.htm

[Hornet]

Oh nice mate . I believe they are easy to strike from cuttings, let me know how it works out, if you could possibly have a look for seed next time you are there that would be great.

John

[soda]

Hornet,

If you mean taking a few of the small seed pods? as shown in my earlier picture let me know and I'll get some. PM me a postal.

IF! the cuttings take I am going to talke some inspiration from this beautiful group at the North West Show, and hoping to create something similar.....eventually. Thanks Gerald for the pic.



Cheers soda

[Roger]

There's a Melaleuca howeana at the National Botanic Gardens in Canberra. It responded very well to bonsai treatment. The small leaves and beautiful bark were most attractive.

What is the species from the NW Show? Looks like a Kunzea ambigua. It will be simply wonderful once the wires come off. Fantasticly well done.

Roger

[Hornet]

Wow that group is spectacular, looks so natural and wild, could imagine seeing that crowing in the coastal heaths.

John

P.S. Thanks for the offer soda, pm sent

[squizzy]

Hornet,

I tried to find That dietes everywhere at the request of one of my clients and couldnt until 3 months after the job. I am pretty sure I seen them in the end a Wirreander Nursery in Ingleside Sydney so it might be worth trying there.

Good luck