Associations of Societies for Growing Australian Plants ASGAP Rainforest Study Group NEWSLETTER No 61. (6) October 2005 ISSN 0729-5413 Annual Subscription $5, $10 overseas Group Leader: Kris Kupsch, 28 Plumtree Pocket Burringbar, 2483 Ph. (02) 66771466 Email: [email protected] Hello everyone, I’m sure this newsletter has been to excessive rainfall in June (611mm) the ground long awaited for study group members. I have has remained moist throughout the winter, which had to reside to the fact that colour photos in the has resulted in a mass of growth now that the newsletter were going to cost too much and warm northerlies have returned. owing to my irregularity of posting them I Notwithstanding, winter did result in a few couldn’t take the option of increasing the casualties, these being: membership costs to the group. Instead I have posted the photos of many of the plants, which I 1. Calophyllum bicolor, a rare species have spoken about, on the following web site. I from Cape York, all ten specimens died will endeavour to utilise an ASGAP website in following two days when maximum due course. temperatures never exceeded 14C. 2. Pandanus basedowii seedlings from http://spaces.msn.com/members/kriskupsch/Per- Arnhem Land died, however I have sonalSpace.aspx?_c01_photoalbum=showde- older specimens doing fine. fault&_c02_owner=1&_c=photoalbum 3. Nypa fruticans the mangrove palm from the tropics died, however this was The subscriptions to this years membership will expected. be relaxed primarily due to my ‘slackness’ and 4. Gulubia costata (recently assigned to as the groups balance is currently a little over the genus Hydriastele). This species has $400 and in no need of ‘topping up’ at the been reported to survive Brisbane moment. I will send the next two upcoming winters when grown in a humid newsletters regardless of subscription renewals. greenhouse. Those persons wanting previous newsletters (last 5. Morinda citrifolia ssp. bracteata, as one Jan ‘05) please contact myself by phone or with the typical subspecies, both are email. very cold sensitive, however I have a Morinda citrifolia ssp. citrifolia now MY GARDEN UPDATES flowering, the only one of 10 that My garden is thriving and I have just completed survived two winters now. an updated database of all the species, which I cultivate. Any members who would like a copy The foremost difficulty with tropical species is of this list please contact me and I will send a list that they detest being wet and cold. During the (preferably by email) which additionally contains end of June we received a monumental rainfall brief notes on the 1133 species which I have event where 23 inches of rain fell over three growing and the 79 species which I have tried days. Many of my ‘Top End’ species became growing, however have died for various reasons. sick with a particular Cape York savanna species I’m currently concentrating on growing species basically developing mould on its leaves and from Queenslands Wet Tropics montane peaks. rotting. I have read in Kerry Rathie’s journals Winter is well and truly over with night time (leader of the ASGAP Palm/Cycad and temperatures now well over 15C and average Brachychiton Study Group) where he places temperatures now reaching 22C. We have had a some Cycad specimens into a dry shed to avoid mild winter with only two frosts occurring on the rotting during occasional wet-cold winters. They flats and additionally high rainfall for our dry then must be planted in brightly lit well-drained season. Our lowest temperature was 3.9C, ‘suntrap’. There certainly is a skill in growing which is a fraction warmer than expected. Due some of Australia’s cold tender species in 1 subtropical areas whilst others do surprisingly 16. Tecomanthe sp. Roaring Meg Creek well, even self-seeding and becoming of produced many tubular pink flowers on ecological concern. The current distribution of the stems. A hardy vine to grow. species is determined by the past and often not by the present day conditions. RAINFOREST QUANDONGS The Elaeocarpus genus is within the pantropical Some species which I have flowering/fruiting in family Elaeocarpaceae. Australia has a diverse my garden at the moment: assemblage of species within this family, many being restricted to refugial habitats whilst a small 1. Elaeocarpus johnsonii, E. number are widespread and occur over a wide coorangooloo and E.grahamii are geographical range. flowering. 2. Peripentadenia phelpsii a large tree Quandongs are mostly easy to grow within (Elaeocarpacaeae) from the Mossman- cultivation and many have considerable Julatten area in the Wet Tropics. White horticultural potential in southern Australia, bell shaped flowers borne on the especially the highland species from the Wet branches. Tropics. I consider E. johnsonii to be a most 3. Brachychiton velutinosus and B. overlooked species, one that grows well by garrawayei from Cape York are cuttings, develops a squat bushy habit and has flowering well. very decorative bell shaped flowers in profusion. 4. Dysoxylum parasiticum a cauliflorous species in the Meliaceae family from 1. Elaeocarpus angustifolius Silver the Wet Tropics, unusual and Quandong. This species is the northern decorative. equivalent of the southern E. grandis. The 5. Davidsonia johnsonii and D. jerseyana taxonomic splitting of this species from its are flowering heavily D. pruriens is southern cousin has been debated, however I’m fruiting. of the opinion that this is warranted. The leaves 6. Syzygium rubrimolle is fruiting heavily of this species (as the specific name suggests) are with fruit landing on the roof! They are much narrower and the fruits are additionally large fruit the size of a small apple and smaller than E. grandis. The Silver Quandong is edible. also common within non-riparian habitats whilst 7. Cassia queenslandica is flowering with E. grandis is a riparian specialist; however not its amazing golden racemes in restricted to this habitat by no means. It grows profusion. easily in cultivation and possibly shouldn’t be 8. Diploglottis bracteata, smithii and grown in southern states to avoid ‘genetic obovata are flowering heavily. pollution’ with E. grandis. It is widespread 9. Cryptocarya williwilliana and C. throughout North Queensland. sclerophylla is flowering. They are shrubs most suited to small gardens. 2. Elaeocarpus arnhemicus Bony From north-central NSW and SE QLD Quandong. This Quandong grows within drier respectively. sites of tropical Australia, superficially 10. Syzygium wilsonii spp. wilsonii is resembling E. obovatus. Plants have grown well flowering with well over 300 blooms on in cultivation within NSW and have adopted a this 4m high shrub, an amazing plant. bushy habit and have attractive serrated leaves 11. Cupaniopsis cooperorum is flowering when young. well again, easy to grow in the shade. 12. Eupomatia barbata the E. bennettii 3. Elaeocarpus bancroftii Kuranda equivalent from the Wet Tropics is Quandong. This is a hardy tree that can be flowering. This species is very easy to successfully grown in NSW, bearing fruit after grow reaching just 1m at the most. about 6 years. It is restricted to the Wet Tropics 13. Elaeocarpus carolinae from the Wet being found in very wet forests and seasonally Tropics flowered with about a million wet rainforests. Its fruits are large and the flowers over this 5m high tree. The tree persistent rat-eaten endocarp is a sign as to was simply a spectacular sight. where the trees are within the forest. It can be 14. Hernandia bivalvis from SE QLD dry grown by seed, which doesn’t require cracking, rainforests is flowering well. and by cuttings, which are relatively easy to 15. Aceratium ferrugineum is flowering. A strike. When in flower is very ornamental highland Elaeocarpaceae with huge ornamental potential. Large pink bell- 4. Elaeocarpus carolinae occurs in the shaped flowers produced in profusion. highlands of the Wet Tropics and is very Tolerates full sun and grown by cuttings common along mountain roads such as on Mt Lewis. I have one specimen in the garden, which was recently a mass of flowers. It has grown 2 easily within full sun and without additional and I have observed 10m high trees killed by water. It reportedly grows well and flowers in the sudden cold spells. Trees are grown by seed, ANBG in Canberra. It has small lime green which must be collected from the previous years leaves and flowers mainly on the old wood. crop and cracked to extract the seeds. This ensures that germination takes two weeks rather 5. Elaeocarpus coorangooloo This species than 2 months or even 2 years. Four metres of occurs from the Windsor Tableland, northwest of growth in the first year aren’t un-heard of. Mossman and extends south to the Paluma region northwest of Townsville. It has performed 12. Elaeocarpus holopetalus occurs south very well in cultivation growing quickly and of Dorrigo to the East Gippsland, Victoria in flowering heavily. The old leaves turn red and cool temperate rainforests. It was first introduced trees grow upright and produce buttress roots to me in my early years, I mistook it for a species from a young age. Reportedly, this species is of Helicia as it was covered in moss and had more closely related to a PNG species than it is hard rigid leaves. I would like to try to cultivate to other Australian species. it and would be keen to hear of people’s success/failures. 6. Elaeocarpus elliffii occurs commonly above 200m within the highlands of the Wet 13. Elaeocarpus johnsonii is a wonderful Tropics. It is a fairly nondescript species with plant with large furry leaves from the highlands large domatia present within its leaves. Plants of the Wet Tropics.