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The only drawback with white cedar is the caterpillar plague they can sometimes get, which can totally defoliate them. I forget which moth or butterfly it is from but the way to address the problem is to wrap a heshan bag around the base of the tree over night. the caterpillars will go under the bag over night and in the morning they can all be shaken out of the bag to be taken away. The exercise needs to be repeated a few times.
thanks for the other news
Nik
thanks for the other news
Nik
Great post Shirley!!
The caterpillars can defoliate the tree....no problems there....they are decidious anyway.....it doesn't harm the tree and next season they are back again,,,,and they provide food for other animals such as wasps, birds. and drop grub poo etc
And I love the fact they are fast growing, repair degraded riparian zones, add Carbon and fertility to the system and they are a native primary coloniser with distribution from Sydney to Cape York......BRILLIANT!
AND THEY CAN REPAIR ACID SOILS AND MAKE THEM ALKALINE!!!
As Ron Bastion says "look at the "positives", More Melia's, more Currawongs, More Currawongs, less introduced bird species etc etc....All things in nature have a symbiotic relationship with each other (e.g. "Natural Sequence"). Humans always feel a need to be at the wheel, take control, create and destroy things for their own selfish needs and take no responsiblity for any long-term damage caused.
Peter Andrews and the people associated with NSF are clearly "the exception", and deserve more support."
WE SHOULD ALL FOLLOW THIS STORY WITH INTEREST.
The caterpillars can defoliate the tree....no problems there....they are decidious anyway.....it doesn't harm the tree and next season they are back again,,,,and they provide food for other animals such as wasps, birds. and drop grub poo etc
And I love the fact they are fast growing, repair degraded riparian zones, add Carbon and fertility to the system and they are a native primary coloniser with distribution from Sydney to Cape York......BRILLIANT!
AND THEY CAN REPAIR ACID SOILS AND MAKE THEM ALKALINE!!!
As Ron Bastion says "look at the "positives", More Melia's, more Currawongs, More Currawongs, less introduced bird species etc etc....All things in nature have a symbiotic relationship with each other (e.g. "Natural Sequence"). Humans always feel a need to be at the wheel, take control, create and destroy things for their own selfish needs and take no responsiblity for any long-term damage caused.
Peter Andrews and the people associated with NSF are clearly "the exception", and deserve more support."
WE SHOULD ALL FOLLOW THIS STORY WITH INTEREST.
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- Posts: 356
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 4:03 pm
- Location: Thirlmere
Good on you Shirley.....we all have a mindset where we see plants that grow fast as being a problem.
The one thing the world needs now is PLANTS....masses of them and they need them FAST.
Melia is a great example:
*Thought by many to be an invasive plant because it grows so quickly
*It is a native and grows and spreads quickly because it is a primary repair plant
*It turns acid soils into alkaline soils
*repairs stability to riparian zones
*fire retatrdant plant
*food for native birds and insects
I think we could be forgiven for getting a little excited.
CMA's should take a close look at this!!!!
The one thing the world needs now is PLANTS....masses of them and they need them FAST.
Melia is a great example:
*Thought by many to be an invasive plant because it grows so quickly
*It is a native and grows and spreads quickly because it is a primary repair plant
*It turns acid soils into alkaline soils
*repairs stability to riparian zones
*fire retatrdant plant
*food for native birds and insects
I think we could be forgiven for getting a little excited.
CMA's should take a close look at this!!!!
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- Posts: 356
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 4:03 pm
- Location: Thirlmere
Pittosporum undulatum
Hello again, looking around at other trees I have found another native plant that in the past has been regarded as a weed. It sounds like a beauity so I will paste the information as it is thorough, informative and involves many facts. Please have alook.
Shirley
http://members.dcsi.net.au/kimjulie/lat ... orums.html
Shirley
http://members.dcsi.net.au/kimjulie/lat ... orums.html
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- Posts: 356
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 4:03 pm
- Location: Thirlmere
Omalanthus populifolius is another fast grower, drops leaves and grows on banks. Also feeds wildlife. A beautiful tree with huge heart shaped leaves. Common name is Bleeding heart tree because they turn red. Sorry but I dont have any pictures of that one.
recent name change also
now... Homolanthus nutans.
Shirley
recent name change also
now... Homolanthus nutans.
Shirley