Hi Linda...I am sure you know tha tAustralia is a very big Island and will fit almost into the middle of the USA.... Australia's land mass is around 7617930 square kms the USA is 9161923 km2.. It has up the top Tropic Zones and the cooler ones down south..It also has different types of soils where I live in SE Qld the soil on top is like silt with very hard packed clay about 30cms down, where I live in Nth Qld the soil was very sandy...And when I lived in Victoria the soil was a lot better but with clay present..

It is Autumn here and where I live the temp is 20-29 or 32 some days so beautiful. We are suppose to get Monsoonal rains in the Summer but its not like that anymore and the dams are drying up in Brisbane where they are ready to restrict us to watering the garden with a bucket, a trifle hard when you live on a 3/4 acre ( 3000 mt2 ) block though North and South of Brisbane, like the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast they are getting more rain so their dams are full.

You say you live in the South I see you Zone is 7 where I live it would be about your 9 or 10 . And where the pine came from would be nearer to your temps than to here. I dont think it needs any special soils just look after it like you would any other plant ...Hope this helps.......Cheers...MM.

I heard on the ABC gardening show on the weekend that it will grow wherever the Norfolk Island pine will grow. Which is apparently under a wide range of conditions.

hi scandia, they have quite a bit of care information at the website including soil type and ph and temperature ranges for the wollemi. I'd also suggest you follow the fertiliser recommendations "Use a slow release, low phosphorus granular fertiliser and feed with liquid fertiliser for optimum growth" as Australian soil is generally very low in phosphorous and some native plants are easily damaged or killed by using a regular fertiliser on them. If you can find an "Australian Native Fertiliser" where you live, that would be ideal.

trancegemini

Here is a link that might be useful: Care of the Wollemi Pine

Thank you all for the input. I have been studying the care instruction for the Wollemi Pine for some time now. I wanted to collect some information from some Austalian Gardeners. I find that by questioning other gardeners I get a wide scope of information. As my goal is to preserve the species, the more information the better. I plan to plant my Wollemi in my yard, if the conservationists will approve that. I am putting it in a newly cleared thicket that I am turning into a flower garden. 50' x 11'. The Wollemi will be the focus of the garden.

I think the soil is perfect but, I will be getting the soil tested to be sure.

It does get VERY hot and humid here in the summer. The Wollemi will be partially shaded by a large cherry tree and a large Oak tree..

Again thank you all for your valuable input.

I am sorry to hear about the water issues...Can you dig your own well??

I have seen a Wollemi Pine growing in South Bank Parklands here across the river from the CBD the only reason I noticed it was it was caged up so I had to go and see what it was, I did not have my camera with me that day, but next time I take a trip into the the City I will take a photo of it..

Here they sink a bore its a cost factor with us we live south of the city, one of our garenweb members west of the city, , got a company in to bore and after it costing them over $3500 there was nothing there, so why take an expensive chance .....Cheers...MM.

"I find that by questioning other gardeners I get a wide scope of information. "

I know what you mean scandia. unfortunately there wouldnt be many people around with a wollemi pine yet because I think theyre still too expensive for the average person over here to afford one, but in a couple of years there'll be heaps of folks who've given them a go in the garden but that doesnt help you much now though. :)

" the only reason I noticed it was it was caged up"

hi mm, I remember hearing that a fairly large wollemi was planted in a park somewhere (I just cant remember where it was) and someone came along and dug it out and stole it so Ive noticed they always seem to have a big cage around them now when you see them on tv. I guess someone just couldnt wait to get one!

trancegemini

Hi TranceGemini,

I take the GA quote with a grain of salt. The Norfolk Island pine will, indeed, grow in a wide range of conditions, and the Wollemi is reportedly very adaptable, but I have to wonder:

1. If it is so adaptable, why is the wild population (apparently) limited to such a tiny part of the Blue Mountains ?

2. It survived several ice ages, yet there are no records of it being logged or even felled to make way for agriculture ?

I accept that there may well be other wild populations in some of the more rugged sections of our national parks, and I also accept that loggers and others may not necessarily have recognised its uniqueness when they chopped one down, but it still has a lot of people wondering why it has remained hidden for so long, a mere 200 km from the most heavily populated city in Oz ?

Given the amount of scrutiny that it would have received from the scientific community by now, I cant imagine that it will suddenly keel over in gardens across the country, but I do have to wonder if climate change will have a swifter impact on the population. The sad reality is that they wont be alone - ferns and cycads which have lasted for millions of years could disappear in less than a century if some of the gloomier predictions are correct.

I also question the suitability of such a potentially large tree for the average suburban garden, but that comes from seeing way too many Bunya,Hoop and Norfolk Island pines in tiny backyards throughout Rocky.

Cheers,

Artie

The woolemi pine does not come from a hot humid area so that may be a limiting factor. I think it could stand the heat but the humidity may make it susceptible to root rots - as the precise location is a well kept secret the general public would not know what soil type it is found in. I dont think water in the colder time of the year would be a problem. I would suggest that you do a search for soil types and climate info for the Wollemi Park.Blue Mountains area of Australia (State nsw) Drainage could also be an area to look at,

hi artie, It wasnt me that made the comment about the norfolk Is pine, but I did see the segment and thought that comment was annoyingly vague, since I dont know the conditions suitable for a norfolk Is pine either and I have no idea if they grow well over here or not. according to the website on the wollemi pine they are very suited to growing in pots though so that should open up the number of people who can grow them in a small garden.

Being adaptable in a wide range of conditions while under the full time care of the experts isnt really a good gauge though is it? I think once it's been grown by the general public for a couple of years we'll start getting some good feedback on how easy or difficult they are to grow in different areas under more normal care conditions.

Thanks for all the information. Currently I do get a Newsletter from the conservationists about the Wollemi. And am studying it..As I said before I wanted to ask some gardeners what they thought. Your thoughts are valuable to me, and much appreciated. I think the heat cancels out the humidity. It is not as humid as the coastal southern areas where I live, (Northern Alabama). I have never had any problems with rot during summer on any of my plants.

I guess it is up to the conservationists whether they will release a pine to me or not.

By the way.....You have all been so kind and helpful, I appreciate that very much

My workplace , Hunter Valley Gardens, purchased 3 First generation Wollemi Pines at last Octobers Auction. As of yesterday we will also be stocking them for sale. Due to this we have been given data about the Wollemi so we can answer visitors questions. We have had our Wollemi's on display in containers since the purchase. Since this time we have had a hot summer many days over 40 C and unusually quite humid.From what we have been shown the Wollemi is tough. Examples grown in trials in Europe have been subjected to -12C. They have proved to be extremely versatile - indoors in bright light with or without air conditioning - potted outdoors in semi-shade on balconies, patios etc. Of course outdoors as either a feature tree expected to grow 20m in cultivation or as a container plant which will restrict its size.They do like well drained soil and do not like overwatering. We water our potted trees 6ft+ only once a week, twice if it's extremely hot. If anyone has seen footage of where they were found it's no surprise that they were undiscovered for so long.The gorge where they were found would have acted as an cocoon from the outside world .My hope is that we can educate everyone on another example of our unique flora and maybe as an extension show our own unique 'dinosaurs' that also were living in the Jurassic. I for one I'm tired of seeing the good old T-Rex as the token dinosaur -what about our Diprotodon's? Maybe as we have easter Bilby's we may also have real Wollemi Xmas trees in years to come.
Regards Louise5

Here is a link that might be useful: Hunter Valley Gardens

I picked up 2 Wollemi Pines today at our local forestry nursery.150 mm pot for $55 each.Approx height of tree is 50 cm from pot soil level to apex.Anyone else got their own Wollemi yet? I wonder how long it will be until they are released for sale overseas.I know there are quite a few people waiting very patiently for overseas release.My local forestry nursery had approx 100 specimens in 150 mm pots and approx 50 specimens in 200 mm pots @ $95 each.

C.N.

They are certainly a lot cheaper than what I thought they would be.
Still a tad too expensive for my pocket maybe later the price will drop
To a level where I can afford one...Thanks for letting us know.
Cheers...MM.

They have been propagated at Gympie, so will indeed tolerate humidity (and heat).

I think anything that has been around for 100 million years must be able to survive the huge range of climatic conditions it must have been through.
The soil at Wollemi NP is sandstone bedrock covered with sandy loam.
Go ahead & see what you can do with it.
Tony

By the way, I got mine 2 weeks ago and took cuttings which so far seem to be thriving.
Tony

Artie,
the Norfolk Island Pine is just as restricted in natural geographic area as the Wollemi Pine is.
Quite simply these two species have been trapped in these areas by environmental parameters.
Humans are perfectly skilled in changing this and bridging environmental barriers.
Kris

Tony, may I ask how your cuttings are doing?

I was hoping no-one would ask. I have 2 survivors from 6 cuttings, and I have to admit they are not looking as if they could survive 100 million years. I will of course try again at a hopefully more favourable time of the year.
Tony

Thanks for the follow-up, though, Tony. I hope you have better success next time.

As Kris says, the Norfolk Island Pine is just as geographically restricted in the wild, though its population is far larger.

But Norfolks do seem to be fussier than Wollemis in regard to climate. Judging by the way they drop out in Sydney suburbs as you go from the coast to the foot of the Blue Mountains, they would appear to be very frost-sensitive. Nor do you see them in the lowland tropics.

I believe there is no simple answer to the puzzle of why the Wollemi has contracted to such a tiny area. You can hypothesise climate change, but if so, how come it's turned out to be so climatically adaptable? - or refuge from bushfires, but there are numerous other refuges in the region that are even better protected. My guess is it has to do with both fire sensitivity and competition with other trees, e.g. all the temperate rainforest angiosperms including its local companions Sassafras and Coachwood, both of them abundant in similar sandstone ravines in the area.

Tony, yes you are right, however, population size doesnt provide a greater insight into the reasoning of a restricted occurence, it only illustrates that the refuge is slightly larger for that species.
I have thought for a while that the three variables water, fire and competition all act independently and codependently to account for the biogeography in Australian plants. These variables be they a result of Aboriginal or natural climate change they have a massive bearing on species occurences and associated speciation.
Wollemia would undoubtedly be suited to the highlands of the Wet Tropics however previous climatic deterioration has led to the demise of Nothofagus and the main element of temperate rainforests 'Eucryphia' is only represented by a single population on one mountain peak (which happens to be the highest in the Wet Tropics). Reiterating, Wollemia would grow in the current days climate as it is cool and wet however the competition from large mesophyll species would undoubtedly bump it out of the habitat. I once grow a Nothofagus cunninghamii in the lowlands of NE NSW where it grew amazingly well attaining a height of 2m in less than 2 years. I planted it in the ground where it quickly died due to a lack of water. This suggests that this species is restricted to sthn Vic and Tas because of milder lower evaporation rates and constant moisture. In the warmer subtropics it is unlikley to control is stomata as efficiently as required and thus it looses water to quickly. A friend has a N .cunninghamii growing well in a wetter site than where I planted mine- thus bolstering my presumption that it isnt temperature its water availability that restricts this species to sth locations. Nothofagus moorei is only common in locations where the forests leaf size is reduced to Notophyll and is wet AND the species only recruits following disturbance and freedom from the notophyll saplings/trees.
Thus I think that all three variables are at play and possibly if fire wasnt an element of Australian landscapes that competition is more so a determinate than water.

Wollemia has small leaves and thus competition with larger leaved species has undoubtedly resulted in its restricted occurence too, as well as fire because Eucalypts are so common in this area now.

Maybe it has become restricted to this locality during a really bad climate deterioration event however hasnt been able to escape and re-expand due to the advance of Eucalypts and associated fire-phylic habitats.

Now Im rambling....

From Kris

I have had good success with a 3 foot high WP in a large terracotta pot here in Darwin. It put on nice new growth right through the wet season so obviously in addition to coping with cold temperate -12c European climates, it can cope with equatorial monsoonal climates as well. Though I kept mine in a pot, I know others who have planted theirs out in the ground and are having very good results as well.
Seems that our WP with its very restricted natural distribution is actually very adaptable to a wide range of climates - Im not sure I know of too many plants that can cope with such an extreme range of climates...

Well I planted out two and they both died.
The only reason why I think they died was from excessive rainfall....
Otherwise Im going to forget about it and go back to the nursery and purchase more!

I have a Monkey Puzzle Pine growing well in North Queensland ! thats adaptable !

How long did it take from the time you planted the two Lil' Aussies and to the time until they died? Were they exposed to to much sun or freezing temperatures?

I have a Wollemi I purchased in 2006 and have it in a pot indoors. I just trimmed it and hope someone can tell me how to grow the cutting. Have them in plain water now. Tried before and they never rooted?
Please advise if you have had success or know of the proper method. I will pot them, of course, as they could not survive here!
Thanks, Susan