Botany The Acacia Grow Thread

[Phyllode_Pickler]

Don't use boiling water on already scarified seeds... it is only to penetrate the outer coat on untreated seeds, causing them to swell. Doing so to an already scarified seed will probably kill it. Filing it down or nicking it means that it no longer requires heat to swell in water. Once swollen you can either sow straight into your potting mix or you can germinate them in darkness on a damp towel. Putting a mug over the top works well.

Just be careful not to hit the inner layer that contains the cotyledon.. this is why using a razor blade or scissors is risky compared to say a nail file which is more gradual.

Boiling seeds without scarifying them works fine too.. if using bulk seeds I'd just do that. If you have limited seeds or they are very precious to you then filing it down carefully and soaking in cold water will give you better results.

Hope to see some of your plants soon Phyllode_Pickler!

Today I had a quick look at the seeds and we finally have A. Acuminata!!

Very happy to see the first one through, I did half with just boiling water and the other half with the nail file and cold water I tried for a week in the ziplock bag with a damp cloth figuring that we had 23-29°C for the week they should germinate in that but there was nothing. This week was forecast cooler so I got them into pellets and put the tray on the heat pad. The first one through in 2 days it was a boiling water seed.

 

[Phyllode_Pickler]

I've potted this one before the tap root came out the bottom of the pellet.

The soil I have used is 5 litres of pumice, 5 litres of cactus and succulent potting mix and 3 litres of native sand/soil.

We have a month or two before autumn/winter I'll see how big it can get before then and likely try to keep it covered/inside with supplementary lighting to give it a head start for spring in September.

 

[CheeseCat]

Nice afternoon photoshoot with my acacian friends.. I just love seeing the afternoon sun shine through the nerve networks.. and doing so with a torch at night is spectacular too. Hanging in the green house at night is really special..

Beautiful photos as always Acacian! You've done such an amazing job. Your level of care and attention to detail is phenomenal. I hope I can achieve something similar in the future. Yeah, the nerve networks are fascinating for sure! Looking forward to seeing more photos - thanks for sharing

 

[acacian]

Thanks, CheeseCat I appreciate your kind words very much. And of course you can achieve something similar! This has all been done in the past 15 or so months. So to anyone on the fence who thinks it will take too long to get their plants to size.. really not. They grow fast in cultivation.

Its relatively inexpensive to build a hoop house.. you can buy bulk pots/tubes to lessen costs.. and mixing up your own medium is also more cost effective. Acacia is pretty accessible as far as growing is concerned.. a good medium, careful approach during germination and a good space goes a very long way. Growing in larger amounts essentially means nailing all of these things and then finding a way to efficiently carry it out on a larger scale.. i.e developing time saving systems that still incorporate all of these aspects to a high standard. You could allocate a day solely to germinating, another doing up bulk potting medium and prepping tubes. Another picking seeds from pods you've collected.. another house keeping - labelling and ordering everything etc.

 

[rocketstrong]

I got some A. Acuminata narrow phyllode varient seeds. However I live in Far North Queensland and it's quite humid and tropical. I am asking if it's going to be possible to grow here. would love to test some of the tropical Australian Acacias but wouldn't know where to start on that.

 

[acacian]

It should be possible.. people grow Acuminata all over. But other species would be better suited. Acacia colei will do well up your way. And I'm sure floribunda would do well too. If you have a read of the Trying to improve acacia info thread in the collaborative research thread (link in my signature) there are a few far north QLD species mentioned but they are not so common.

 

[Anarchos]

Wow, many thanks, acacian, this is the best thing i have seen on the internet in a while!

I have two types of acuminata seeds but live in a very dry climate ( less than 50% RH on average) and i am sure it will need a greenhouse....

My Oz contact recommended a high content of quartz in the soil so I am sure a good (expensive) silica additive would go down well (orthosilicic acid, not the cheap stuff)..

 

[acacian]

Thanks Anarchos!

Acuminata shouldn't be bothered by dry conditions...

I also use quite a lot of quartz/granite in my mix.. and they seem to be loving it. Why exactly that is I can't say but I figured most active species grow in pretty close proximity to these minerals so I'd give it a go.. I recommend using a medium high in coarse river sand if you can get that.. it provides perfect drainage.. especially when in combination with a moisture retaining material like peat or coir

Below some nice morning sun hitting one of the phlebophylla

 

[Phyllode_Pickler]

All told from 4 acuminata seeds I got 3 plants, one that got destroyed when I was trying to pick the seed of of that stick to it. One of the first through got a little moisture damage on the first set of leaves, one of the smaller ones has some colouring on the new leaves hopefully nothing concerning.

I've even ended up with an extra that has popped from the native soil.

From 4 floribunda I got one plant, I wasn't really growing that one for any other reason than I like how they look and think it will look great in the garden.

 

[acacian]

All told from 4 acuminata seeds I got 3 plants, one that got destroyed when I was trying to pick the seed of of that stick to it. One of the first through got a little moisture damage on the first set of leaves, one of the smaller ones has some colouring on the new leaves hopefully nothing concerning.

I've even ended up with an extra that has popped from the native soil.

From 4 floribunda I got one plant, I wasn't really growing that one for any other reason than I like how they look and think it will look great in the garden.

Cool Phyllode Pickler.. keep us all posted with your progress. If your floribunda is the right type it will be a good one to grow for DMT

 

[Phyllode_Pickler]

Cool Phyllode Pickler.. keep us all posted with your progress. If your floribunda is the right type it will be a good one to grow for DMT

I'm pretty fortunate that I got the problems sorted out pretty fast with your help. I still have enough seeds to give away and help another person start their journey with Acacia and even grow a few more myself.

We are just about to start winter where I am. That will give me some time to prepare some where outside for them where I'll set up a shaded hoop house over them ready for next spring.

 

[acacian]

Just a word of warning with your hoop house.. if in a really exposed spot I would veer away from cheap plastic.. which was what I used. Its fine as a temporary thing but in the blazing hot summer sun (maybe more so at high altitudes) it can start to crack and you'll be left with the annoying project of re-covering it. My shade clothe was over the top which makes it even more annoying to change!

On a lighter note.. I was gifted 4 Acacia simplex seeds.. unfortunately I was only able to get one of them to germinate and the rest rotted despite repeated cleaning and changing of damp surface. Below is the surviving seed that is now a delightful little seedling.. and then some more shots of the usual suspects you all know by now

 

[acacian]

Here some more shots of white willow floribunda.. and another good tryptamine variety I’ve just called “small seed big mumma” as the tree I gathered the seed from was an absolute monster and had smaller seeds than most flori..

 

[_Trip_]

Phleb is maturing nicely

 

[acacian]

Wow Trip! What a beautiful specimen! Looking so healthy.. can’t wait till mine get to that size.

How old is it? Hope your saving those fallen phyllodes

 

[_Trip_]

Been saving a few but not many lately it's been too happy to drop any phyllodes. I think it's about 3 years old now. It's in 40% low fertilized soil, 30% sand and 30% grit stones. It appears very happy with that. I've kept the water up to it this summer as it's in quite well draining soil and obviously has been hot.

The little peyote behind it, i think a similar age. The acacia aphylla in front is about 2 years old.

Wow Trip! What a beautiful specimen! Looking so healthy.. can’t wait till mine get to that size.

How old is it? Hope your saving those fallen phyllodes

 

[acacian]

That's great Trip.. Its a species so beautiful that I'd probably get more happiness seeing the sun glowing through those phyllodes than smoking their tryptamines anyways.. but why not both

Would you mind expanding a little on the topography you have it growing in? My sense is that phlebophylla may benefit from a sloped position to avoid wet feet.. but the place I am moving into is reasonably flat. So I'm trying to figure out whether i should dig a really big hole and have a very well draining medium scattered in quite deep. What do you think?

And aphylla is amazing good on you for growing it...probably one of the more unique acacia out there.

 

[_Trip_]

That's great Trip.. Its a species so beautiful that I'd probably get more happiness seeing the sun glowing through those phyllodes than smoking their tryptamines anyways.. but why not both

Would you mind expanding a little on the topography you have it growing in? My sense is that phlebophylla may benefit from a sloped position to avoid wet feet.. but the place I am moving into is reasonably flat. So I'm trying to figure out whether i should dig a really big hole and have a very well draining medium scattered in quite deep. What do you think?

And aphylla is amazing good on you for growing it...probably one of the more unique acacia out there.

If you look carefully at the photo you can maybe make out I've just made a raised garden bed for it as I'm on a flat block that floods when we have very heavy rain and wreaks havoc on the rear part of the garden (despite the drainage i have put in).

the plheb is raised maybe 400mm.

in addition the natural soil on the land is clay. the acuminatas that sit next to it on flat ground in clay have struggled somewhat. But the acuminatas are several metres tall now despite the poor draining soil and occasional short periods of flooding. As these are easier to find I didn't have an issue putting the broad phyllode variants to the test. And after a few years it seems to have paid off. Other wise the next raised part of the garden bed in that photo is housing 2 courtiis and a narrow leaf acuminata as I wanted to give them the best chance of survival with well drained soil.

 

[acacian]

Ahh .. sorry I missed that detail on my phone. Your acuminata looks great.. I imagining it is housing plenty of tryptamines now. Have you done any tests with it? And how old are your c? Still blown away by how fast they grow.. very groovy plant

 

[_Trip_]

I haven't harvested yet, however I did oringinally have 3 acuminatas, one died with the flooding and hot summer, it waa 6 months before I finally ripped it up and it was indeed active, I found however, being as it was dead it was very hard to strip the bark from it. Did the best I could and chopped up the rest, wood and all. I did a straight to base and it was active at barely 2 and a half years old. Couldn't give a percentage as I didn't shred the bark and i couldn't separate the bark from parts of the wood. Fresh acacia is much easier to strip if one is practising sustainable harvesting ofcourse.

If you mean age of courtiis only 2 years old and only spent one summer in the ground. Hoping they kick off this year, the mix may not be as good for it as the phleb and narrow leaf acuminata. Also just started a burkitti and will be starting colei and a few other rarer wattles I got a hold of this yesr if all goes well. Still have 2 courtiis and 5 phlebs in pots that I need to find space for.