So anyway, it's getting to be real hurricane season in Houston and we want our trees to be somewhat prepared. What with all the drought that's been beating us to death, a little extra effort is needed. We check a number of sources and finally select a company with whom we feel comfortable with the pruning of our trees.
The owner of the company arrives and we go through all the technicalities with him of being a tree in desperate straits with delicate roots and I'm about to burst. After all this guy is an arborist for God's sake and who better to ask the question? Finally, i can take it no longer, so i ask. "Excuse me, being an arborist and all, do you ever have the occasion to need a tree?"
He looks at me suspiciously and asks, "You mean like buy one?"
"Well, yeah." I respond, not even venturing into whatever insinuations he might be imaging. Needless to say, he's still giving me (to use a phrase I recently learned from one of my daughters) the stink eye.
"Can you get me a Wollemi Pine?" I blurted.
"What the Hell is a Wollemi Pine?" He responded. My confidence plummeted to a new low, although I explain to him in great detail the origin of the Wollemia nobilis.
"Cool!!" he retorted. "i am a member of the ISA."
This in itself did not reinstate my previous confidence in the guy.
He went on to say that membership in this organization helps him along the road to maintaining his arborist registration in the State of Texas, and one of the point gainers is attending the conventions.
"The ISA is holding its convention in Australia this year." he pointed out and that he and his wife plan to attend. He went on to say that he will contact his sources in the meantime in an effort to acquire said tree, and ultimately, when he gets to Austrailia he will check the possibilities of exporting these things.
More later.
I saw one for sale a few weeks ago at the Cal Poly nursery store (San Luis Obispo). It didn't have a price on it, but it was at least one or two feet tall, maybe even three. I probably should have just bought it - I didn't realize it was so difficult to find these things (and was worried it would die in our yard as so many other plants of mine have). Hopefully they will become easier to find in the future....
ReplyDeleteYou probably should take a chance and go back and buy it. Hen's teeth come to mind when trying to find them these days. Buyable Wollemi Pines in good old US of A are sort of like Elvis sightings. I like to think a few may be lurking around down in Parrish, Florida. Beds and Borders was reportedly awash with them there before they closed up shop and moved north. Unfortunately they didn't take any with them. Supposedly a ban on all but licensed dealers was set up to curtail poaching in the Wollemi National Park in Australia. Licensed dealer sounds like an interesting business but unfortunately, living in Texas has caused my green thumb to wilt as of late.
DeleteHey, just saw another one - at Golden Nursery in San Mateo, CA just a few minutes drive from me. I didn't get it though, as it was $300. Fairly large (3-4 ft.) and looked reasonably healthy. This is the first time I've ever seen one at a regular nursery. I've been to Golden before and I don't think they had one then.
DeleteWe've got quite a bit of gopher activity. Together with the rabbits, 3 out of 4 squash plants disappeared in a couple days. So I'm a little scared to spend $300 and then plant it and have it become gopher food or something.
You're doing better than I am. With all my efforts to track one down I've had no luck. The New Zealand partnership that was supposed to be distributing these things is a tragic joke. I never made it down to Florida to see if there are any remnants dispersed from the Beds and Borders nursery. I've just about given up as I think the Aussies have on the U.S.
DeleteAs for the gophers, if you can catch them they're not bad with garlic and butter with a nice red wine reduction..........
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