Callitris columellaris
| Callitris columellaris | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 10 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 66' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Callitris columellaris (common name: white cypress-pine)
Propagation: Seed - does not require stratification, germinating at any time of the year if it becomes moist[1]. Sow in early spring in a greenhouse. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cultivation: Prefers a dry sandy coastal soil in full sun, succeeding in saline soils[1]. A very drought tolerant plant once established[2][1].
This species can tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[3] but this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. Some reports say that plants can succeed outdoors in the very mildest areas of this country[4][2] but another report places this species in hardiness zone 10, which would mean that it is not frost tolerant and could only be grown with winter protection[1].
The plants are highly inflammable and are usually killed by forest fires. However, they store their seeds in unopened cones on the tree for many years, these seeds are released after a fire and then germinate freely[1].
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria.
Habitat: Light soils, occasionally near the coast, but usually in dry inland areas up to the montane zone[5].
Usage: A resin obtained from the stumps of felled trees or the cut logs is used as a coating for pills[5].
The bark contains 11 - 23% dry weight of tannin[4][6].
Wood - resinous, very aromatic, very durable, brittle, very flammable, hard, close grained. Used for construction. furniture making, cabinet making, fencing, ship building etc[4][5][7].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Monoecious
Also Known As: C. arenosa. C. glauca.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rushforth, Keith. Conifers. Batsford, 1991.
- ↑ Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lassak, Erich and Tara McCarthy. Australian Medicinal Plants.
- ↑ Cribb, Alan. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins, 1981.
- ↑ Holliday, Ivan and Ron Hill. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller, 1974.