Tree World - View Single Post - Pohutukawa| Metrosideros excelsa, thomasii, kermadecensi| Lifespan| NZ Christmas Bush

azrael · 8th January 2008, 01:35 AM

Ahh......
I've seen two Metrosideros die at the end of my street over the last 2 years....and alarm bells rang when the second one died some 1.5 years after the first. (Illawarra Region - South Coast N.S.W. Coastal Plain with Av. Annual Rf 1200mm pa).

I must say it was quite a rapid death...one dead branch (insignificant???), then the next thing ....whoof....whole thing dead in less than 1 month. No yellowing, just attached dead foliage...& dead tree.
One dead tree has beenremoved but the second mortality still stands...(I shall investigate the borer scenario.....& keep you posted.).

The area where I live is abt. 25yo as far as subdivisions go. Our area was stripped of topsoil at subdivision, and we have heavy clays, so its mulch..mulch ...mulch....mulch if you want to grow anything....very challenging soils....raped through agriculture and grazing, then stripped to sub-soil at subdivision...(criminal really).

Both specimens were front yard plantings...(in turf)...and not recieving any supplementary watering since water restrictions were imposed here.

(As distinct from paperbark Melaleucas, it seems the aerial roots in Metrosideros dont seem to help longeivity if there is no rainfall).

Otherwise I've seen specimens many which have reached enormous trunk size, and been quite healthy (mature trees)....but these have been in moister, more protected locations with better loamy soils. Also have seen same (mature specs) in hindune areas performing relatively well (relative in that they were very wind formed, and had disfiguring branch losses).

Mmmmm.....Im interested to hear other cases too.

8th January 2008, 01:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
azrael Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Earth Australia Posts: 319	Re: Pohutukawa\| Metrosideros excelsa\| Lifespan\| NZ Christmas Bush Ahh...... I've seen two Metrosideros die at the end of my street over the last 2 years....and alarm bells rang when the second one died some 1.5 years after the first. (Illawarra Region - South Coast N.S.W. Coastal Plain with Av. Annual Rf 1200mm pa). I must say it was quite a rapid death...one dead branch (insignificant???), then the next thing ....whoof....whole thing dead in less than 1 month. No yellowing, just attached dead foliage...& dead tree. One dead tree has beenremoved but the second mortality still stands...(I shall investigate the borer scenario.....& keep you posted.). The area where I live is abt. 25yo as far as subdivisions go. Our area was stripped of topsoil at subdivision, and we have heavy clays, so its mulch..mulch ...mulch....mulch if you want to grow anything....very challenging soils....raped through agriculture and grazing, then stripped to sub-soil at subdivision...(criminal really). Both specimens were front yard plantings...(in turf)...and not recieving any supplementary watering since water restrictions were imposed here. (As distinct from paperbark Melaleucas, it seems the aerial roots in Metrosideros dont seem to help longeivity if there is no rainfall). Otherwise I've seen specimens many which have reached enormous trunk size, and been quite healthy (mature trees)....but these have been in moister, more protected locations with better loamy soils. Also have seen same (mature specs) in hindune areas performing relatively well (relative in that they were very wind formed, and had disfiguring branch losses). Mmmmm.....Im interested to hear other cases too.