How to Grow Grass Trees

[@graham6931]

Top channel... Steve is A naturalist in pure form... Top advice and brilliant entertainment make this a perfect watch!

[@iCultivate1]

Thanks Graham - great to chat last night 😄

[@arieswan8318]

Thank you for your introduction of grass tree.

[@iCultivate1]

You are welcome :)

[@bolt2850]

Hey I was wondering if you could do a video on burning them

[@zackeven637]

Very helpful thanks for the tips

[@VietnamMotorbikeTours]

awesome trees

[@iCultivate1]

I love them and think they are incredible. Thanks for watching 😃

[@naomismith8229]

I have one that has just flowered & it is glorious. It’s situated in a garden strip that’s only about 600mm in width between the pool & a colourbond fence. Why the previous owner put it there I have no idea but I’d love to relocate it where it will have more soil & space. What are my chances of it surviving? Or should I just leave it where it is?

[@amritaroy6255]

Hi Steve, I came to your Channel as I was looking for ways to save my Xanthorrhoea tree. It is in a huge pot and has been in semi-sunny position for last 2-3 years. It’s about a 85 cm tall and has been doing okay so far but recently the grass has started turning yellow/brown and I’m worried that it’s deteriorating. Can you please give me some advice as how to revive it, I would be very grateful. Thank you!

[@iCultivate1]

Hi Amrita and thank you for you question. The first thing that comes to mind is water. Where are you? I am wondering if you have been experiencing a lot of wet weather lately and if the pot drains well? Regards Steve

[@amritaroy6255]

@@iCultivate1 Thank you so much for your reply, and yes - that was my suspicion too. I’m in Sydney and we had more than usual rain in past few months. Not sure how well the water drains, and because I live in an apartment I can’t put it in the ground. I’m thinking of repotting it in fresh potting mix and elevate the pot on some bricks etc so that it is above ground? And hope that works.. Thanks again Steve.

[@iCultivate1]

@@amritaroy6255 you are very welcome. Reporting and checking the drainage would be my recommendation, but do check you go to a nursery and talk to them about the correct mixture for the plant. Hope it goes well.

[@DLink2theworld]

I have collected hundreds of seeds off the spikes/flowers of my grass trees and am interested in growing them but looking at a few videos on here they take a few years to get established. So when I grow some do I need to register them? When I first got mine 20 plus years ago they had a number on a tag on the small trunk. Mine flower each year by themselves, no flames needed, just seem to flower after a dry spell followed by a good rainy week or so late in the year. Red soil here and not drained. Thanks for the info.

[@janedwards2437]

the grass trees in the bush are subject to strict restrictions to prevent them being over harvested. Your personal grass tress do not have restrictions but as the video says it will be many m,any years before they have a trunk.

[@iCultivate1]

Thanks for the comments. No need to register your own grass trees, the strict control is for those that are naturally in the bush.

[@iCultivate1]

Thanks for your response Jan. Love seeing others involved in the conversations as well .

[@ridetillidieharleyyamaha4063]

If someone is clearing there land and I have permission from the landowner to dig them up to save them , am I allowed to do that if I have pictures and a letter to prove where and why I got them , I would really appreciate a answer ..... thank you

[@iCultivate1]

My understanding is that you need a license to remove them - even under the circumstances you have described. I would recommend discussing this with you local state government department before proceeding. Sorry I can’t give you better news.

[@migueldesanchez9653]

Palms are also technically a genus grass so if I grow a coconut or date im technically growing a grass tree

[@iCultivate1]

I guess the difference is that those examples have their own name. These are actually called “Grass Trees” and are not actually related to grasses, or at least not closely. Despite their adaptation to dry conditions, they are actually more closely related to lillies. Despite this, they are still known as Grass Trees.

[@murraygaff6474]

How can you treat a grass tree that is powdery in the centre

[@iCultivate1]

Sorry, but need some more information. Does it seem to be otherwise healthy?

[@murraygaff6474]

It is a large double headed grass tree that was transplanted from a nearby neighbours garden approx 18 months ago.Plant seems to be otherwise healthy. One of the heads seems to have a pale fawn coloured powder type substance in the growth centre. Like it needs to have some type of treatment.

[@iCultivate1]

Hi Murray, it is difficult to be sure without seeing it, but the first thing that comes to mind is Rust - a fungus that would normally require treatment with a fungicide. Hope that helps.

[@michaelsimpson9779]

I came to this video due to the title. I have about 20 Grass Trees on a 1/4 acre residential block and they always flower profusely. I'm interested in collecting some of the seeds and trying to propagate some, despite the knowledge they are extremely slow growing. Perhaps the video should have a change of title, as there is nil information other than the microbial soil/root relationship, and the drainage. The hunt continues......

[@jaminson2855]

She’s not putting out as much as she used to... hard times.

[@Jake12220]

Its also worth pointing out the government restrictions. If they are wild plants(even if they are growing on your land) then the collection of seed or plant parts and propagation of plants is all restricted. Honestly l find this somewhat stupid if they are on private property. I can understand them wanting to restrict the collection from state or federal land, but the restrictions including licences and fees is only going to discourage propagation.

[@leohopkinson747]

@@Jake12220 Then how do they get away with selling Grass Tree seeds in Bunnings?

[@Jake12220]

@@leohopkinson747 it's perfectly legal to sell them, but being a protected native species they require the right tag and paperwork to go with them. Every grass tree sold needs to be tagged (private or public sale), once you take it home you're allowed to remove it, but then you can't legally sell it again unless you get a new tag so best to leave it attached. The tags cost less than a dollar each, but it can be a pain to go through the mountain of paperwork required to get a harvesting licence even though it's easy to get permission to put in a firebreak that destroys thousands of them.