I purchased it as P. Pungens 'baby blue' (you know the tags, "blue is cool blue is cool blue is cool blue is cool blue is cool"). It was only after a year or two that I noticed its branches were weeping. I think I planted it Nov 2014, but maybe Nov 2015. I do remember when purchasing it, it was different (I looked at every single one they had, probably over 200) but weeping never crossed my mind even though in thinking back I remember it looking about what it currently looks like. When I compared it to my 7 or so other P. Pungens 'baby blue', it was clearly different. I guess it would be considered a seedling with a mutation (or a mutated seedling?) ? The baby blue are grown from seed.

Don't stress about Wollemia! I don't believe there is all that much rocket science to pruning natives. I always do my pruning after flowering, any time between January and April (when ever I get round to it). But the only reason why a restrict myself to this period is that there does not seem much point to cutting off all the flowers. I like to cut off the lower branches of my Eucalyptus ficifolia and my Acacia pycnantha in order to establish head clearance as they grow. I guess my only precaution is to not to excessively reduce the foliage in the process but that is more about appearances. I sometimes cut shrubs down to their stump if they get to staggly and, unless they are particularly stressed, they always bounce back very quickly. If they can survive Ausy bushfires they can survive and overzealous pair of shears.

concerning "double digit" low temps I was there in 1990 when I believe that the low was around 9!!! that said, the coastal land near-coastal area is mostly USDA 9a and fairly mild most of the time as far as winters go---but my place gets some white frost on the ground most every year so "zone 9" is not a magic charm against cold weather by any means. FWIW, the biggest cordyline australis in bandon that I'm aware of is probably about 25' tall (coos bay/north bend plants are about the same size). the big "champion" douglas fir your are referring to are actually several miles inland around coquille and myrtle point generally in protected ravines that are moister in the dry summers and protected to some degree from wind storms. no doubt there were also big trees closer to the coast once upon a time but they likely got cut down rather quickly when the logging business came in the latter part of the 19'th century. a great book about the various champion trees of many species is "forest giants of the pacific coast" by Robert Van Pelt (he also has a good book on the various champion trees of Washington state as well). the "giants' book is beautifully illustrated so it's great just to look at as well as read through.

Here are some pics of the Torreya nucifera about 30 years old but 1/2 the size it would be if the monster wasn't growing next to it. I haven't looked at it for years & just noticed that it has lost its leader to the domineering maple. I said "30' tall" but it is more like 20. The block it is on is now owned by my sister & I must ask her if I can chop that part of the Acer which is in top of the Torreya! This is exactly what the rooted cutting looked like when I got it & it grew like this for 5 or 6 years before forming a leader. Interestingly it did so from its terminal bud after being tied up a stake..... This is the type of cutting that'd give a proper tree right off! I like them, they have a certain appeal & such fragrance in the leaves. I used to have some T.grandis & californica but they were all sacrificed to the divorce gods!! Don't like my chances of getting seed in these days!