Wollemia nobilis...any news on timeline for U.S. sales?

Thanks Liz for finding that P info.

In yet another (blatant) example of my forgetting to write down the URL of the source, here's a Wollemia soil characteristics document I copied onto my word processor some months ago.

6.2 Soil characteristics
Soils are sandstone-derived boulder alluvium, with high organic matter, some shale component and a substantial basalt wash from the higher reaches of small tributary canyons (Jones et al. 1995). The soil is very shallow. In some areas there is little or no soil layer. Roots of the Wollemi Pine plants grow into rock fissures or extend for tens of metres away from the main groups of trunks. The soil has a poor structure and appears to have water-repelling qualities. Levels of nutrient are low and the soil is extremely acidic, often in the range 3-4 pH, with low levels of most elements although high in aluminium, sulphate and iron. There are patches of highly saline soil. Salt probably leaches from the parent material (Offord et al. 1996, C. Offord pers. comm.) (See Table 2).
Senescent branches fall and contribute substantially to the litter layer (Hill 1995). Decomposition of these fallen branches may contribute to the low pH of the soil and this acidity and lack of nutrients may contribute to the slow growth of mature trees and seedlings (Offord et al.1996).
Characteristic Range Interpretation
pH(inH20) 3.8-4.6 strongly-extremely acidic
pH(in CaC12) 2.9-4.2 strongly - extremely acidic
Electrical Conductivity 0.1-1.9 mS/cm low-highly saline
Sodium 0.0-0.14 meq% good
Potassium 0.15-0.8 meq% low-good
Calcium 0.3-2.9 meq% very low - marginally good
Magnesium 0.5-2.24 meq% low-high
Aluminium 0.1-4.9 meq% trace-very high
Phosphorus 0-3.3 mg/kg none - low
Ammonium 10-42 mg/kg low
Nitrate 0.1-20.7 mg/kg low-good
Iron 179-357 mg/kg high - good
Sulphate 73-176 mg/kg high - good
Zinc 1.6-2.6 mg/kg low
Copper 0.6-2.3 mg/kg low
Maganese 1.1-7.7 mg/kg low
Table 2: Soil chemical characteristics of the Wollemi Pine at Site 1
6.3 Light intensity
Field recordings show that light on the canyon floor at Site 1 is very low, with less than 10% ambient light. Due to their orientation both Wollemi Pine sites receive only limited light at most times of the year. The amount of available light is further reduced at Site 1 by shading from competing flowering trees. Site 2 receives even less light than Site 1 due to aspect and the narrowness of the canyon. Some areas of Site 1 receive direct light in the middle of the day for a very short time, possibly less than one hour (Offord et al. 1996).


Note they spelled aluminum and manganese incorrectly.
The statement "soil appears to have water-repelling qualities" interested me because our North Okanagan soil is very light; water seems to run off before it goes in.

 

Photo of my Wollemia nobilis

Here is a photo of the one I recently purchased here on the Sunshine Coast, which had a National Geographic tag on it. I potted it up in a nice clay pot.

 

What a beauty...nice shape.
Clay pots are likely better than plastic for this plant.
What's your soil mix?

 

They got aluminium correct, that's the official IUPAC spelling ;-)
http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/Al/hist.html

 

MichaelF...There are lots of scientists with poor spelling ability! Wikipedia uses both forms on page one. Aluminum (not aluminium) has traditionally been the correct spelling.

 

Only in the USA. Other countries (including Canada, as far as I know) use aluminium. It is a bit like e.g. colour/color, except that the international chemistry regulatory authority (IUPAC) has come down in favour of aluminium as the official standard spelling. They also came down (for balance!) in favour of the US spelling sulfur over the UK etc., spelling sulphur.

 

Fuzzy language...just ask a nine year old preparing for a spelling bee.
Glad I'm no longer in school.

 

The soil mix I used was the same as I use to pot up my cycads (complete recipe on my web site, shown below), which hail from the same jurassic era as Wollemia nobilis. In retrospect, however, perhaps I should have omitted the lime in the organic fertilizer (recipe also on my web site) as I note these trees grow in very acidic soil in their native habitat.

 

I found the soil characteristics study very interesting too, especially the very low pH.

But since Society publications state it will readily adapt to a variety of conditions, I'm convinced that low light and drainage are paramount (because of the reference to narrow deep gorges and rock fissures).

 

I suspect it is more adaptable than its very narrow current habitat demonstrates - the main factor confining it there is almost certainly wildfire.

PS methinks it's about time to start a new thread on this - the current thread takes an eternity to load!

 

I think Daniel had tentatively agreed to a Wollemia nobilis Owners' Forum...I'll be a while before I can join in on the new one.

 

I can tell you that a Brit will correct one's pronunciation of al-lu-minee-um, hence, it must be aluminium. Spell check disagrees however. Kia, we will miss you on the new thread. Hurry back.

 

Availability does not appear to be a problem; a local supermarket is now selling trees for $100 - about 30% off the last reported price.

 

No, it's not availability; I've been waiting for mine from Australia.

 

Which supermarket is that?

 

IGA MarketPlace.

 

Kia why your order Wollemipine in Autralian?in Italy original plant Austrialian is more expansive (1400,00€ gasppp!!!)

 

If that's the Euro symbol, it'd be 2,017 Canadian dollars.
Ha! Ha!

 

Yes, they are for sale all over Vancouver Canada,everywhere. About $100.00 each. By next year they'll probably be $20.00.

 

Well Kia all I can say is you will have the genuine Australian when it arrives........:)
I think I missed what the hold up is???

Liz

 

Not a huge problem, Liz; the grower owns another business offshore and has been back and forth conducting his affairs. I know my order for one tree isn't at the top of his business priorities, but he assures me my Wollemia is healthy and happy. I'm not rushing the grower.

Once the Phytosanitary is issued, my tree is going on a plane ride to Canada.

 

today i received my Wollemipine together:book whit advice for cultivation(in Italiano eureka!)and original certificate !!I understand only today because the cycads are in conifer family the leaves of wollemi is very similar. For me is a big day i'm very happy ...alex
P.S:€ yes is the simbol of euro

 

Good for you, Alex.
You'll enjoy reading about it and watching it grow.

Have you ever seen the many many images on Google Images (enter Wollemia nobilis),
and you'll spend many happy evenings looking at everyone else's...

We'll all look forward to seeing a picture of it in the near future.

 

my baby wollpin

 

Beautiful, Alex, looks very healthy!