Royal Melbourne Botanic Gardens: Seven rare New Caledonian tropical conifers.

[@user-sq3kk3wt8p]

Your videos are the highlight of my week and I love watching (and learning from) them. This is another gem. Thank you!

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Loving the love. Regards Stephen

[@araucariasightings3247]

I live in San Diego where Araucaria heterophylla and columnaris are very common. I have been collecting bidwillii which you don't see too often. Most new homeowners end up cutting down their bidwillii's which is very sad. Their is a few angustifolias around and one cunninghamia I know of which is very interesting. A lot of New Caledonia plants grow here do to the similar climate. A lot of palm tree collectors have dypsis palms which if I remember correctly are from New Caledonia. At Balboa park in San Diego they have many bidwillii's, rulei, angustifolia and many others. They also have a very old agathis robusta there. I love these prehistoric conifers. Thanks for the great video.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Dypsis come mainly from Madagascar but glad to know many of our Southern conifers are being grown locally. Regards Stephen

[@araucariasightings3247]

@@thehorti-culturalists Thanks Stephen. I couldn't remember where dypsis were from. My grandfather was a huge palm and African cycad collector and I still take care of his garden. A lot of the plants were planted in the early 1950's and are very mature.

[@araucariasightings3247]

I am addicted to araucaria. I am a bidwillii fanatic.

[@thehorti-culturalists]

No cure I’m afraid. Regards Stephen

[@araucariasightings3247]

@@thehorti-culturalists I love all the araucarias. The first time I saw a bidwillii it was such a strange thing. I couldn't believe a tree could be so bizarre and interesting plus the enormous size. I started collecting them from a guy and now he can't even get seeds anymore. They are extremely hard to find out here but there are some very old ones around but you have to know where to look. Most people are so scared of the cones and end up getting rid of them which is awful. I have seen about 6 being cut down just in the last 5 years or so and every time I talked to the person that lived there they were whining about the tree. I think that is the mentality of a lot of people out here. One landed on a guy in San Francisco and he sued the city for 5 million I think.

[@jacqinthegarden]

Very interesting gentlemen ❤

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Thanks for watching!

[@KeithJames-wv1vk]

Hi from Wyee on the Central Coast NSW. I have the very decorative purple leaf sweet potato vine spreading through my veggie patch. Is the end product the same as the normal sweet potato? Are they eatable and as tasty to eat as the normal ones? How will I know when to dig. Love all your videos Regards Keith

[@thehorti-culturalists]

As far as I know it is just as edible and you could bandicoot the tubers by leaving the plant intact and exposing a tuber at a time and collecting it but leaving the plant to keep going.Regards Stephen

[@sylviahardy4568]

A parasitic conifer. Wow 😮

[@thehorti-culturalists]

Yes one exists. Regards Stephen

[@The_Mothzz]

i have another question , when will they develope their charecteristic "leaves" and do you think its worth buying an A.RULEI or laubenfelsii for 40 $ ?

[@thehorti-culturalists]

If I could buy them in Australia for $40 dollars I would buy the lot. The only supplier I have costs way more than that but they are about 1metre tall. In my experience they take several years to develop their adult foliage but well worth the wait. Regards Stephen

[@The_Mothzz]

@@thehorti-culturalists thanks

[@The_Mothzz]

hello , how fast can the nc araucaria grow? best greetings from germany

[@thehorti-culturalists]

slow for the first year or three then if happy about 30cm a year. Regards Stephen

[@The_Mothzz]

@@thehorti-culturalists thank you

[@kerryjean2223]

I have a question. I've Googled but cannot come across what I want to know. Ironically this plant is in the same pot as my Salvia 'Torquoise Kisses'. I know I have no problem topping up the sunken potting mix over the Salvia but my question is... Can I cover a 'Day Lily' or will I kill it? It's in a narrow throated pot and would be quite difficult to dig up which I really don't want to. Thank you. Kerry from Adelaide South Australia x 💙🙏😇🕊️🐑

[@kerryjean2223]

My sister Deborah loves rare plants and Australian natives. I asked if she watches your show which she hasn't but I'm going to share with her some of your videos x 💙🙏😇🕊️🐑

[@kerryjean2223]

My Mum and I as well as a fellow Spirit filled born again Christian, Sharon are going to the Adelaide Botanical Gardens at the end of next week for a wonder around x 💙🙏😇🕊️🐑

[@thehorti-culturalists]

The day lily should be fine if not covered too much. A couple of inches shouldn't hurt. Regards Stephen

[@The_Mothzz]

Just curious, could I get the name of the seller?

[@thehorti-culturalists]

I am not prepared to do that for commercial reasons as I resell his plants at my nursery. Sorry . Regards Stephen

[@The_Mothzz]

@@thehorti-culturalists ok understandable, thank you anyways