Palo Brea Cultivation Tips

20 years ago

HI,

I live in NSW Australia. Approximately 32deg south. We have around 800mm per year average rainfall. Summers are very hot (over 40C reg ) with or without humidity. Winters are mild with a few light frosts. Trees that perform well in our garden include Casuarina cunnighamiana, Accacias and Grevilleas.

On a recent holiday to the southwest we became captivated by the southwest vegetation and in particular the palo brea and lysiloma thornberi. To my knowledge these species are unknown to cultivation in Australia.

I have acquired some seedlings of these as well as Caesalpinia mexicana. I would appreciate anyone with experience in growing these plants for any advise you could give?

Our soil is clay to clay loam with a layer of shale approximately 12 inches below. The soil is not particularly well draining but is never waterlogged due to the slope, high evaporation and noramally low soil moisture levels.

I would be happy to respond with observations of other cacti, succulents and southwestern plants I have in cultivation in this foreign climate.

Kind Regards,

Glenn and Jane Rose

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Comments (3)

azamigo
20 years ago
Both of these trees should do very well in your climate. When planting them, make sure to dig a deep hole, break through the layer of shale to ensure good drainage then replace the soil and make sure it's fully settled before planting the trees. During their first growing season keep them well watered and water them DEEPLY. This will force them to grow a deep, extensive root system. After the first year you can get by by watering only once a month during the summer and maybee once during winter. Another good plant, Caesalpina pulcherima (red bird of paradise). Really beautiful deep red, orange flowers that love intense heat and sunshine.
gjrose
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks heaps for the tips. My seedlings are away and growing fast!! Most exciting. I'm sure these trees will be a real novelty in our area. Most of your southwestern plants are unknown to us. Many aussies still haven't got past the idealism of an english cottage garden with roses, rhodo's and annuals etc.
Altogether unsuitable for the hot, dry and unpredictable climate we live in!!!

I can't wait to see how my new seedlings perform against the old style garden favourites!
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gcorman
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Hi.

I'm glad to hear your plants are doing well, but I'm also afraid of the potential they have to become invasive--especially the C. mexicana which spreads easily from seed in gardens here in Tucson.

Please keep an eye on that and if the seeds of these spp. start sprouting in your yard and neighbours' places, get rid of them. Oz already has a problem with some US leguminous plants like Parkinsonia, Prosopis and others. You wouldn't want to have a plant named after you like the weed Patterson's Curse!

I'm a bit concerned here about some of the Australian senna and acacia species getting loose. Senna sets a lot of seeds here and spreads easily. I think it's just a matter of time before it's a big problem.

That said, I'm a big fan of Oz species and started my horticultural career in Perth. I'd love to try some of the odd spp. from central NSW and the other dry areas of the country like a bunch of the emu bushes, some of the arid zone eucs, and odd hakeas. Some of them are in Plants of Western NSW by Cunningham et. al., and if you don't have that book, you should get it!

Take care and good luck with your trees.

Greg

Palo Brea Cultivation Tips

Comments (3)

azamigo

gjrose
Original Author

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Palo Brea Cultivation Tips

Comments (3)

azamigo

gjroseOriginal Author

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gcorman

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gjrose
Original Author