Our tree has arrived a few weeks ago. Looks great although we are concerned that the branches seem to drop down from mid to end of some. Originally thought it was the packing and would recover but so far they remain same. Will be planting out next Spring and presently will keep it inside a well ventilated porch. Hope that is ok!

There is nothing to worry about. The trees have there own character and the branches on some trees do seem to droop. The porch will be perfect. They like high light and low water levels.

I repotted the Wollemia on receipt into a 25 ltr. pot and it is now in our greenhouse for the winter and doing well. Just one question. We are in the Cotswolds and eventually would like it to be planted in a paddock to mature into a large tree. Will keeping it in the frost free greenhouse over winter for a couple of years cause the tree to be less hardy than keeping it outside during the harsher months?

We have found that as the trees mature they become more hardy, in about 2 years time we are fairly sure that the trees will be able to withstand most temperatures. Hardiness trials in Japan, USA and Germany have seen trees survive temperatures down to -12 degrees C. Make sure that you aclimatise the tree before putting it out. Ensure that this is done gradually so that the plant does not suffer undue stress.The optimum time for conditioning a plant to its new environment is when the weather conditions are mild, rather than extreme heat, wind or cold.

I am a big fan of nature and I am looking to enrich my garden. I just bought a lovely house with the help of Athens Ohio real estate and think that Wollemi Pines would fit very well with the architecture of the house. I just wonder if the climate in Ohio is appropriate to grow them outside since I doubt I can make an investment in a greenhouse.

Unfortunately there is no propagation of the Wollemi Pine outside of Australia at the moment and I know that there have been difficulties with import restrictions into North America - so regretably I dont think you will be able to purchase any Wollemi Pines to plant in Ohio. I can only suggest that you keep checking www.ancientpine.com for any news.

Hi there,
I have received my tree, very happy with it but am a little concerned about leaving it in a greenhouse[cold] over winter as it is warmed slightly in February for the production of bedding plants.Will this start off growth too early in the season?Should i place it elsewhere? I live in the south east of England and would like to plant it out ASAP.
Many thanks

You will probably see the first growth in March when the new apple green young shoots burst through the Polar Cap. This growth will start to harden by May when the tree will be ready to put outside. Remember to aclimatise the tree gradually if you are moving it from a warm temperature. I would suggest the best time to put it out would be the middle to the end of May when the worst of the frosts have past. Protect the tree against the worst of the weather through its first winter outside but after that It should be mature enough to fend for itself.

Should I bring my tree into the conservatory for it's first winter; I am now worried that it should not be out in this heavy rain we have been having although it is in a sheltered position. Can they get water logged

It's important that the tree dosen't get waterlogged, they do not like 'wet feet' It would be better to bring it in for it's first winter if you can but if you are going to leave it outside try and make sure that the water can drain easily from the bottom of the pot. If you are potting it on into a larger patio pot then put a layer of crocs (pieces of broken clay pots) into the bottom of the container so that the drainage holes do not block and preferably lift you container off of the floor slightly.

I intend to keep the tree outside but away from heavy rain and on raised level. Is it safe? Anybody consider training it as "bonsai"? Has anyone already trained one? Please advise.

You don't say where you are but I would protect it from the worst of the weather this year. The tree should be fine if you don't let it get waterlogged. The first trees were made available to the public in Australia in April 2006 so if anybody has tried to bonsai a Wollemi Pine I guess that it would be in the very early stages.

I also intend to keep mine in a pot and reasonably sized. Personally, for my style of trees in pots, I favour letting trees "do what comes naturally", with minimal shaping. My best tree is a cedar that I put in a 'tufa' stone about 10 years ago and I've never pruned it at all - it is still less than six inches high.

Sometimes I'm convinced that a tree would look better for a branch off here or a bend there, but it isn't something I do routinely. To my taste most "bonsai" that I've seen look too shaped or plain ugly, especially the garden centre ones that have been grown fairly large and then hacked off a few inches above the ground!

With the Wollemi, I received it at the turn of the year and it has been inside near a glass door, more or less north-east facing, so no direct sunlight yet, but plenty of light. I soaked it once, about 3 weeks after it arrived and it seems that's about the right frequency for it's position, as it seems the top of the soil (covered with bark mulch) is starting to dry out now (5 weeks after arrival).

I think I will move it out onto the patio outside, still shaded from direct sun, in early spring and gradually move to semi-shade with some sun position.

What do you think?

I think you are right to acclimatise the tree slowly this season and moving it out when the worst of the frost has gone is a good idea. I have put a young 3 litre Wollemi on my patio, plunged in a pot and it looks quite happy still, even though air temperatures in my garden have gone down to -3 degrees. Addmitedly my garden is quite sheltered and the tree hasn't moved since it was put out in October. I am looking forward to seeing the new growth in the spring which I will probably protect if we have any late frosts.

i have been given a wollemi pine and am keen to plant out now into an arboretum. Your website recommends planting in spring after the last frost, however i understood that it might be better now as the residual summer heat might ensure warmer soil. can you advise? i am in gloucestershire, England with reasonably heavy clay soil thanks

Autumn is a good time for planting out as the soil temperature is normally still quite warm but as these trees are only about 2 years old we feel that they will still need protecting from the frost this year and possibly some protection against the worst of the winter weather next year. After that we think that they will be fairly frost hardy. You mention that you are planting into heavy clay. The Wollemi Pine does not like 'wet feet' I would suggest that you dig the planting hole twice the necessary size and back fill the hole with some free draining top soil.

Thanks for this, and sorry to appear stupid but should i therefore leave the tree potted for another year in say a greenhouse with occasional gentle excursions outside to acclimatise? if so would you advise a larger pot or will the existing be ok? thx

It would be a good idea to put the tree into a larger pot and then maybe put it outside in May 2007. The other option is to pot it on into another larger plastic pot say 30 litres and then in May plunge (leave the tree in the pot and bury it in the ground) the tree in the place that you wish to plant it. Remember though that you must water the tree if you leave it the pot and also make good provision for drainage from the bottom of the pot i.e. put a
3-6cm layer of gravel in the bottom of the plunge hole. Then in the autumn next year you could bring the tree into a sheltered position for the winter and plant it out proper in May 2008.

I have planted my Wollemi Pine out of doors in a sunny sheltered area in Edinburgh (South East Scotland). During the first year there has been little growth, a few leaves growing by no more than 2 inches. I wonder how it will survive a Scottish winter out of doors.

Hi David, I am guessing that you had one of the older trees. These trees would be 3-4 years old now. They may have experienced -5 degrees c on the nursery in Queensland so they should be fairly hardy but to be on the safe side I would use some fleece which can be purchased at Garden Centres and protect it from the worst of the frost this year. You may find that the foliage will go a bronze colour in the frost. This may persist through to the spring when the foliage will turn back to its normal green colour.

Hi
I haven't got a greenhouse. We live n a small valley in Herefordshire Is it OK to plant one outside now - or should I take it inside the house over winter?
Incidentally are there still samples for sale?


Vic Keegan

I would keep the tree inside through this winter if you have a spot with good light levels for it. Then plant it out in May next year when the worst of the frost has past . Make sure that you don't water it too heavily. They prefer to be on the dry side and will use a lot less water when they are in lower light levels i.e. indoors. We still have 3 litre trees for sale on the website and the trees should be widley available to pre-purchase in Garden Centres next year. These trees will not be available to collect in Garden Centres until the end of May 2007 though.

My WP was delivered late September 2006 in time for my 40th. It looks great, but how old are these trees now?

It’s wintering under the low eaves of the house, sheltered from the worst of Anglesey’s wind and rain. I have stood the original pot in a larger pot with a couple of inches of gravel for drainage and straw between the pots to insulate the roots. I will cover the top with fleece if we get frost.

I want to encourage a multi-stemmed plant (like the larger WP I have seen at Kew and Tresco Abby) to live in a large pot, at least for a few years. I have read about the plants’ plasticity, but how can I encourage new main shoots without butchering the existing one: a good low P feed, light from the side, or will it just happen naturally as it grows? Any suggestions welcome.

Hi Ian, The tree that you recieved is between 18-24 months old. Here on the nursery some of the trees seem to naturally muti-stem. The way to ensure that the tree becomes bushy is to prune them. I would wait for a couple of years to see if the tree develops other stems. If it doesn't then maybe it is time to consider inducing other stems by pruning.

This week I received my Wollemi Pine. I have three questions: 1) Is spring water (bottled) or tap water (clorinated) preferable?; 2) The excelsior used to contain the potting soil, should it be removed?; 3) If I go on vacation for two weeks - I have used the Blumat Jr system (water delivery through a ceramic cone via a small tube drawing water from a source, a siphon or capillary action) - The water delivery can be adjusted to keep the soil moist and not soaked - Would the Blumat Jr be satisfactory for a short time (two weeks) for the Wollemi Pine?

Glad you received your Wollemi Pine. It has certainly been a popular Christmas present. In answer to your questions.
The water quality is not too important but, in preference, the spring water should be used if it is no trouble. The amount of chlorintation in tap water will not be toxic for the plants.
There is no need to take the wood bark shavings off the top. It is there to prevent weed, moss and algae growth and will come to no harm.
I am familiar with the principle of the watering system you have but not the make. Two weeks without water in winter should not hurt the Pine but, as long as the compost is kept moist and not soaked, the system should be fine. Once again, the WP can be killed by kindness in over watering rather than giving too little.
Enjoy your Wollemi Pine. I hope you will be very happy together!

Hi, when I planted my W.P. outside, the lower tier of branches that where previously above ground level when it was in the pot, due to the height of the pot, are now actually touching the ground.
So my question is, should I allow the branches to rest on the ground to possibly self layer or should I remove or support them in some way to prevent any damage it may cause. ?
Thank You.

The lower branches will not layer. If you find that the branches are being damaged you can prune them back by upto 2 3rds of thier total length. It is probably best to do this as any open wound could allow disease to enter the tree.

As I am the happy owner of a now 1 m tall wollemi pine, I would like to plant it in the ground and possibly in a calcareous soil (pH 7.5-8) with low phosphorus content. Would you or the nursery in Queensland have some data of trials made with this type of soil (I am aware it's not the one advised), to know if the growth is standard, reduced or absolutely impossible such as with some Proteaceae ?
Thanks in advance.

The data from the trials undertaken at RBG Kew show that the Wollemi Pine prefers an acid soil pH 5.0-5.5 but it will survive in a neutural to alkaline soil; even though rate of growth and overall health is deminished in relation to the higher pH. The trees are not particularly aggresively rooted so it may be worth considering a large planting hole and backfilling with an ericaceous loam (JOHN INNES ericaceous mix) this should give the tree a good start and help it to establish.

Hi
Received my Wollemi Pine as Christmas present, I intend to repot in the spring and display in my back garden. Can you recomend what size of pot would be adequate to allow the tree to gain a height of something in teh oredr of Ten foot. In addition can you advise if anything can be done with prunned cuttings.
Thank you
Dusk2dawn

It would be best to put your tree into a pot with a diameter of about 30cm and then pot on again after 1 year into a pot with a diameter of approximately 45cm. If you over pot initially then the tree may be succeptable to water logging. Unfortunatley it is very difficult to propagate from the prunings as it is only the appical bud that will grow vertically. I have been given to understand by the nursery in Australia who propagate the Wollemi Pine that striking the cuttings is not straight forward as it requires a treatment with a specific hormone rooting powder.

Hi Mark
Keeping the tree in the conservatory over the winter months, I am watering the tree around once every 7 days. I am a little concerned as the leaves dont appear to be picking up and continue to droop, in addition I have noticed one of the upper leaves starting to droop, do I have a problem? I have taken some photographs, is ther any way of getting them to you?
Thankyou
Paul

It does sound like over watering. We have found that the trees need very little if any water during the winter as they seem to shut down completely in the low light levels. I would suggest that the best indicator of the moisture in the pot is weight. If you weigh your tree now and then weigh it again in a week's time you will get some indication of the amount of water that the tree is using. 1 litre of water weighs 1000gms. I would suggest that you shouldn't water your tree now for maybe 4 weeks and let it dry out. However during the summer months the trees requirement for water rises as it starts to grow and it is subjected to longer daylight hours. Please keep me informed of the trees progress. You can e-mail photos to me at info@wollemipine.co.uk

I lost my last Pine to the Delhi monsoon. I had thought if it could stand growing outdoors in England it would easily survive the monsoon here. This time I intend to keep it indoors and out of the rain. However can I use dried cow dung as manure and would you have any idea in what proportion I should mix ithe dried cow dung with sandy soil?

Sorry to hear that you lost your tree in a monsoon. We have found that the Wollemi Pine is more susceptible to water logging than anything else. I must admit I have no experience with the addition of cow dung to the growing media. The trees do like organic matter and I guess that the nitrogen level in cow manure would not cause too much of a problem. It is important to make sure that the growing media is well drained. I hope you have more success with you next Wollemi Pine.

Hi
My pine has arrived today and looks ok, although the tips are all a yellowy green, I assume that is normal.
I want to pot out onto the patio and wonder whether a clay/terracotta or plastic pot would be best? I gather ordinary ericacious compost will be ok.
Any comment welcome

The Wollemi Pines are just starting to show the first signs of their spring flush and they always seem to look at their very worst just be for they start to produce the new growth. The 'tipping' is a physiological condition and neither the Austarlian nursery or ourselves have pin pointed what causes it but it doesn't seem to affect the overall health of the tree. Clay/terracotta or plastic is more a choice of asthetics than anything else. I don't think that type of material will have an effect on the growth of the tree. It is worth adding some slow release fertiliser into the growing media. Westland Feed All Slow Release Fertiliser is suitable as long as you follow the instructuions on the packaging.

Thanks Mark.
My question re the type of pot was thining that terracotta dries out quicker as the terracotta breathes slightly.

Hello! I am truly sad. I bought a Wollemi Pine the first year they were available in the US and it promptly died but it was very small and arrived in winter. It never did seem to recover from the journey. I then bought 2 more much larger plants and one of those has died and now the last one is drooping and the leaves are drying out. I have been very careful not to overwater or fertilize with phosphorous but this last tree appears to be dying too. Is there any hope at all? I would appreciate any and all help. The trees seemed to go down hill as soon as they were put in a larger pot. I followed all transplant intructions to the best of my ability and have no idea what is wrong. I want to sit down and cry as I love my tree. If this one cannot be saved I will not but another as I see no reason to kill a 4th tree, I am beginning to think that Texas is just not the place for these trees. Thank you for any help you can provide.

Hi Sue, I am so sorry to hear that your trees have died. I am not familiar with either the growing conditions or the climate in Texas so I may not be able to help particularly but I can impart some of the information that we have gleened here in the UK. In general the trees are fairly robust but like other Auracarias they are quite weak rooted. They produce alot of top growth on a minimal amount of root growth which makes them ideal for growing in a container. Unfortunatley it does also make them susceptible to waterlogging and we have found that if any trees have been lost it is normally due to overwatering, particularly in the winter time when they seem to need very little water at all. I can't believe that heat would be the problem as temperatures on the nursery in Australia where the trees are propagated can reach 40 degrees C. If you are growing a tree in a container I would suggest just pottting it into something about twice the size of the original pot. Use a peat based growing media with if possible a pH of 4.5-5.0 (sold as ericaceous mix here in the UK) add controlled release fertiliser to the mix (Osmocote or similar) at the rate suggested on the packaging. Water very sparingly during the winter time but increase the watering when new growth emerges from the polar cap in the spring (May June in UK). If the worst comes to the worst with your current tree and you think that the roots are still alive you can cut all of the top growth off of the tree (about 3-4 inches above the soil). New growth should start to emerge from the stump. Good Luck

I have noticed a lot of Norfolk Island pines growing in Houston and Galveston and being Australian auracarias I was surprised at how well they do in Texas, but although similar to Wollemi pines in ancestry, it could be that in fact the Wollemi is not as hardy. I have a small forest of Wollemi pines in Perth, Australia and although there are Norfolk Island pines growing in the neighbourhood, I have to tend my Wollemi pines carefully to get them through the summer. Two have died, it seems from over-exposure to the fierce heat and sun of mid-summer, where the others have kept going fine and they have been in a bit more shade. It is a bit of a mystery why they die. It seems when they decide to, nothing can save them. Their branches droop and then no amount of emergency treatment, like seaweed solution, will change their mind, whereas any other tree I know will respond and come back. Despite what you read here, I don't think they are hardy at all (I have 9 of them, now 7 years old and 2-3 meters tall, so I am not just talking hot air), and actually prefer a cool, misty environment and really do not like a hot, dry environment, even if watered properly. I think herein lies the reason for their near-extinction in Australia, as the climate dried out and became hotter. Anyway, I think Texas should still be fine for them.

can anyone help? I inherited a wolemi and have had it in its pot outside at the front of the house for two years (south coast). It has been quite dry, as recommended, but in the last few weeks is becoming browned and droopy and I think its dying. I've moved it from the full sun - isthere anything else I can do as a last attempt to save it????

It's fairly usual for the tree to show signs of bronzing particularly when containerised but the foliage should return to its former green colour in May June which is when the tree will start to grow again. Unfortunately at this time of year they can look very sorry for themselves as they are quite a lot later to start growing than many other plants. I would suggest that you keep the media just on the moist side until the tree shows signs of growing and then it will need copious amounts of water while it is putting on its growth spurt. If you haven't added controlled release fertiliser to the media when you potted on then I would suggest starting to feed from about the middle of May. I hope this information helps.