Friday, June 4, 2010

Celerywood

Polyscias elegans
Family: ARALIACEAE
This picture was taken at Rockmount two weeks ago. The whole tree was a mass of fruits, and must have been a picture in spring, when it was covered with little purple flowers.










The (distinctively flat) celerywood fruits are adored by our local native fruit-eating birds, such as satin bowerbirds.





The trees themselves are very good value in a garden. Although they have a very lush, green, “rainforesty” look they are really very tough survivors. Even young seedlings thrive through droughts, and the also survive frosts so long as they have a bit of shelter from the worst of them.


These plants are growing on a high, exposed site, in a cow paddock on the western side of Mt Kynoch.




Celerywood seedlings couldn’t possibly have established themselves in this kind of environment. The kikuyu, the cows, and the harsh, windblown western exposure would now make it impossible. So these trees must have begun life in a kinder habitat, and are now evidence of a lost ecosystem, part of the extensive area of dry rainforest which must once have been common around Toowoomba.
Celerywoods are very fast-growing - one of our fastest trees - and like so many dry rainforest plants, they prefer to begin life in the shelter of trees and shrubs, but reach rapidly for the canopy to spread their leaves in the sun.




This one has been in the ground at Peacehaven Botanic park (Highfields) for two years, and has had no water since it was first planted. You can see from the slightly yellowed leaves that it would be happier with other plants around it, but it will get over this, and no doubt make a shapely tree in a short time.










Here is an example of the more typical young growth form. This sheltered specimen at Ravensbourne National Park is making a very fast bolt for a high place with good view of the sky.

This tendency grow tall and thin, together with an inoffensive root system, makes celerywoods suitable for use between buildings.




Old, rainforest-grown trees can have a trunk diameter of 75cm, but it is rare to see such a magnificent specimen nowadays, as they were cut for their soft timber which was used to make disposable items like fruit-cases (These were once as common as cardboard boxes are now. We used to break them up for kindling to use in fireplaces and wood stoves) .
Timber-getters used to identify them by the faint celery odour of the fresh bark. (The leaves have a stronger smell).

8 comments:

listen2me said...

As a boy in 1960s in Dad's fruit shop, I now wonder what those heavy/dense banana timber boxes were made of? Yes, they were never returned so we used them for winter fires. Often w dropped them off at someones house for that purpose. Wasn't easy breaking them up.

Patricia Gardner said...

Thanks for your comment. I apologise for my slow response. I have been away from home with no access to my comments file, so am just catching up with the backlog now.
Yes, I wonder about the banana boxes, too. My family used to buy oranges by the box, and the light, white timber was quite easy to break up. It sounds as though banana boxes were made of something more substantial.
Trish

Damien C said...

Hi Trish, I have a property on the Toowoomba range and I have a few Polyscias elegans. It took my wife and I a long time to find out what they were. We really like them, want heaps more in the garden, but are having difficulty getting the seeds to sprout. Any tips? Damien

Patricia Gardner said...

Hi Damien,
Yes, they are great plants, and very civilised trees for the suburban context.
They are not easy to grow from seed, but persistence pays off. We volunteers at the Crows Nest Community Nursery (CNCN) had three trays of them a few years ago, and threw two of them out after 8 months or so, thinking they had failed. One was left on the shelf simply because it was overlooked, and lo and behold, only a few weeks later it produced masses of seedlings.
We had planted the fruits whole.
You should get better results if you soak the fruits for three or four days to soften them up, and then clean the fruit pulp off the seeds very thoroughly.Rubbing them in a sieve or strainer helps grate the pulp off the seeds. Wash the seeds thoroughly to make sure all traces of pulp have gone, as it may be the pulp that inhibits the seed growth.
You should still expect to have to wait for up to six months, though.
Best of luck!
Trish
PS if you create more seedlings than you need, you might like to give the extras to CNCN. This is easier to do now that they also have a branch at the Council Nursery in Spring Street (South of Ramsay St).

Helen said...

I would like to grow celery wood trees in an area where any flowers and fruit would drop on a paved area. Would the fruit stain the pavers. Also would the flowers stain pavers. It appears that they have lots of flowers and fruit and will look eye catching. Do you know where I can buy seedlings or even more advanced trees. I am in Kingaroy. Thanks. Helen.

Patricia Gardner said...

Hi Helen.
Sorry to be slow to get back to you.
I think it would be unlikely that the celerywood fruit would stain your pavers. The fruit is not particularly juicy.
I am sorry, but I know of nowhere were it can be bought at the moment. Have you tried asking your local branch of Native Plants Queensland? They may be able to put you on to some.
Good luck.
Trish

Unknown said...

Hi Patricia,
Im following the thread as im collecting seed to grow for reforesting project. i have a question about ripeness of fruit for seed. some have come down from a tall tree and the fruit are soft and seeds inside soft and green, do i need to wait for fruit to mature a little more to collect the seed? im accustomed to seed seeming more firm and brown/black from most other tree species im collecting

thanks
kate

Patricia Gardner said...

Hi Kate.
If you have seed, I suggest you plant it. It might work (but never will if you don't take a chance).
However, you would probably do well to get some more mature seed if you can, and you might need to be quick as the season is drawing to a close.
Since writing the above advice about planting seed, my group has learned that it actually grows just as well if you simply plant the fruits whole, with no preparation whatever. We have never managed to get it to germinate in under 8 months, however we treat it.
There is a theoretical chance that your young seed will grow sooner if cleaned first, so you might like to try cleaning some of it, and just throwing the rest in a pot as it is.
Good luck!
Trish