Australian sub-alpine acacias

[kapitän kamasutra]

AustraliAn SUBalpine Acacias

I'm looking in those recently, trying to find an Acacia that could possibly survive winters in germany outdoors.

A. alpina looks like a possible candidate, and also the related phelleb. I have seen here it is trouble growing it, I was wondering if it preferes more temperate climate. If yes i'm totally into starting a conversation program in the back yard, lol.

Another cold tolerant candidate seems to be longifolia. The 3 or 4 Tasmanian endemic Acacias might be possible candidates, too.

If you know of any other alpine cold tollerant Acacias or could direct me to a list of australien sub alpine flora please let me know.

Thanks!

Edited May 12, 2014 by kapitän kamasutra

[waterboy 2.0]

This will give you an idead of tassie flora, you'll find a run down on alpine down this way:

http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter,nsf/WebPages/DRAR-9CC7C8?open

Whats your winter minimum, and average temperatures if you know?

[kapitän kamasutra]

Thanks waterboy, I'm looking into the papers now, great read!

Average winter temperature is about 2.5°C, with possible night frost and sometimes extrems down to -15°C. It don't last long usually but it can. Also lots of rain, occasionally snow, average rainfall between 40 and 60 mm. I think the problem is the unpredictability here in winter. There might be years where it rarely drops below 0° with lots of rain, but other years we have months with solid snow and ice cover, or very dry cold without any precipation.

If anyone knows I'm also interested to hear if there are introduced Acacias a bit up the mountains in New Zealand.

Edited February 14, 2014 by kapitän kamasutra

[∂an]

From my experience in Germany the difference is how constantly wet it is in winter compared to the oz alpine environment. Here it is quite dry in winter. You would have to actively protect the tree with a covering during the worst times a think. That being said the local botanik garten where I was in Germany had oz plants like grass trees - in very large pots that could be moved into a greenhouse in winter.

[waterboy 2.0]

Snow is protective against cold in the short term, ice as well but its a bit more damaging than snow.

Provides an insulating film.

Winter is (was very) wet here in alpine zones. Cold and dry will be the bigger issue I think.

Tassie acacias would take the average with frost (probably to -6 ok), but a multi-day exposure to -15 will kill juveniles and stress and damage most adults. If they are isolated specimens - then they will die.

Acacia's on island here do not enter true alpine above the treeline, eucalypts and other species have adapted ....the subalpine zone has them in forest formation so they have a "buffer effect".

Edited February 14, 2014 by waterboy

[planthelper]

i would extend this search including other aussie plants, like the snow gum, or eucalyptus generaly.

some of those are protected in Australia, but you will find many of them already in Europe, mainly in the uk and in irland.

sourcing seeds from trees in, those countries, might be easier for you than trying to source them from Australia.

last time i was in a climat similar like you describe, i noticed a new tree fashion, some keen gardeners started planting monkey puzzle trees!!! they look so exotic, in cold climat countries, specialy in winter.

[kapitän kamasutra]

Hi Planthelper. Monkey puzzle trees are very popular by some people here indeed. Yesterday I made a trip around town and found 4 trees in some front yards. One still with christmas decoration on it.

I did a seed order that includes snow gum and Tasmanian snow gum, together with 6 species of Acacia that are growing in Tas and the south end of australia. I hope they arrive

And as Waterboy pointed out the thread title would better be 'subalpine Acacias' as alpine by definition means above the tree line I think.

Thanks for the suggestions so far! I hope the planting and testing starts soon.

[waterboy 2.0]

some eucalypts if interested worth a try I am familiar with would be:

Eucalyptus archeri - Alpine cider gum

Eucalyptus coccifera - Tas. snow gum

Eucalyptus delegatensis - Alpine Ash

Eucalyptus pauciflora -cabbage gum (Tas)/snow gum

Eucalyptus gunnii - cider gum

Eucalyptus rodwayi -swamp gum

*E.pauciflora has also hybridised with a few other species in Tas.

Mainland also a few other subspecies of E.pauciflora

I can probably source you some seed of most of these in my travels PM me any stage if keen mate.

Someone else may know the mainland eucs better and chime in as well

Edited March 27, 2014 by waterboy

[kapitän kamasutra]

Thank you for the offer waterboy. I read Eucalyptus delegatensis grows 50 m tall and more. It would be wicked if this tree could grow here. Might become the next gardening craze after the Araucaria. If you have seeds of this tree i'd be very keen.