Category: Plants (Page 2 of 3)

Bulsa Plantation — Balsa trees are widely cultivated in the tropics where trees can grow to 25 metres high with a diameter of half a metre within seven years, reaching maturity in 12-15 years.

From primitive rafts to speedy bombers

August 12, 2019 / John Halkett

The world’s lightest hardwood continues to be widely grown. Balsa (Ochroma pyramidale) is a large, fast-growing tree native from southern Mexico to southern Brazil, but can now be found in many other countries, including Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Solomon Islands.

Balsa trees can establish themselves in forest clearings or on abandoned agricultural fields and grow extremely rapidly. Their speed of growth accounts for the lightness of the wood, which has a lower density than cork. Trees generally do not live beyond 30 to 40 years. Balsa is widely cultivated … Read more “From primitive rafts to speedy bombers”

Harvesting Cork Trees — Cork oak, the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses, is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa.

More than just wine bottle stoppers

June 6, 2019 / John Halkett

Cork oak, Quercus suber a medium-sized, evergreen tree is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses. It is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa. It grows to up to 20 metres, although it is typically more stunted in its native environment.

Cork oaks commonly live more than 200 years. Cork harvesting is done entirely without machinery. The European cork industry produces 340,000 tonnes of cork a year, with a value of €1.5 billion and employs 30,000 people.

The cork is used to make a wide range of products in addition to wine bottle stoppers, including insulation… Read more “More than just wine bottle stoppers”

Couple walking dog in forest — The simple act of taking a walk beneath the trees can work wonders for your health.

More trees – you will feel better

February 20, 2019 / John Halkett

As if being renewable, storing carbon and contributing to climate change mitigation isn’t enough – trees make you feel better – true! It’s not stretching the point to say your health and well-being are likely to be improved if you walk amongst the trees.

Increasing urbanisation means that people have less access to nature in their daily lives. Australians on average now spend about 90 per cent of their time indoors. This coincides with reports of increasing obesity and nearly half of Australians experience a mental health conditions during their lifetime.

So there is now some solid research … Read more “More trees – you will feel better”

Williams good Christian venerable old pear tree. — The Williams good Christian venerable old pear tree, the oldest surviving exotic tree in New Zealand, is now entirely hollow, but still going strong.

New Zealand’s oldest exotic tree still going strong

February 1, 2019 / John Halkett

Just before launching into this month’s column I want to express my appreciation to the Forestry Corporation of NSW for agreeing to continue to support and sponsor this column in 2019. So thanks to chief executive Nick Roberts and staff.

Right, well thinking of exotic trees in a New Zealand forestry context radiata pine immediately springs to mind. However, the country’s oldest exotic tree, a Williams good Christian pear tree near Kerikeri in Northland, is still going strong as it enters its third century this year.

When the Maori warrior chief Hongi Hika granted European missionaries some … Read more “New Zealand’s oldest exotic tree still going strong”

Umbrella thorn acacia trees pump toxic substances into their leaves to rid themselves of browsing giraffes.

They speak a language that the strangers do not know

October 23, 2018 / John Halkett

This blog begs the question do trees talk? Or perhaps more specifically do they communicate with each other? According to the dictionary definition, language is what people use when we talk to each other. Looked at this way, humans are the only beings who can use language, because the concept is limited to our species. But do trees communicate with each other? If so how, they definitely do not produce sounds, so there’s nothing to hear. It turns out trees have a completely different way of communicating – they use scent.

Scent as a means of communication? The concept is not totally unfamiliar to us.… Read more “They speak a language that the strangers do not know”

Singapore’s 18 Supertrees have become shorthand for Singapore itself, in much the same way that the Eiffel Tower says Paris.

Singapore’s concrete and steel Supertrees

September 19, 2017 / John Halkett

Known for doing things on a grand scale, the stylish city of Singapore has created the ultimate green space, but with a difference. Its city forest, built from concrete and steel is nonetheless a celebration of trees, and now the city’s distinguishing tourist attraction.
The city’s futuristic Supertree Grove of 18 Supertrees has become shorthand for Singapore itself, in much the same way that the Eiffel Tower says Paris.
Each Supertree consists of a trunk core made of reinforced concrete wrapped with a steel frame. Panels on the trunks are planted with of a ‘living skin’.
With ‘trunks’ enveloped… Read more “Singapore’s concrete and steel Supertrees”

Red gums sentinels to First Fleet arrival

August 4, 2017 / John Halkett

The only surviving eucalypts from the natural forest in the garden are two twin red gums perched up on the cliff behind the Opera House on the Bennelong lawn. No doubt they were mere saplings in 1788 when the 11 tall, wooden ships of the First Fleet arrived in Sydney. Incredibly, this Bennelong twins alone have survived so close to the city. Referring to them, Ashley Hay (Gum, 2002 Duffy & Snellgrove, Potts Point, NSW, Australia.) wrote:

The view from [its] crown began to change from the canopies of other eucalypts growing along the land’s ridges and streams, from clear distance running

The Wishing tree, Sydney’s Botanic Gardens, about 1880: Probably the most notable tree to have grown in the Gardens.

Sydney’s Wishing Tree

July 9, 2017 / John Halkett

Sydney’s Botanic Gardens are an important part of Australia’s tree heritage and Australia’s oldest scientific institution. Established during the reign of King George III, the Gardens were granted the royal epithet in 1959 by his great-great-great-great-granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II. The gardens are an important part of Australia’s tree heritage.
The botanic gardens are the site of the first farm which was began within weeks of the establishment of the colony of New South Wales by Governor Phillip in 1788 and are part of the Domain established by Phillip in 1792. The traditional… Read more “Sydney’s Wishing Tree”

Boabab Tree — Tremendous in size and bizarre in appearance, baobab trees have provided food, medicine, and places of refuge and worship to countless peoples.

Baobab trees – upside-down giants

June 3, 2017 / John Halkett

Among the world’s most unusual trees, the baobabs are frequently described as being grotesque because of their huge, swollen, bottle-shaped trunks supporting a shallow crown of ungainly branches.

Standing tall on the sunburned plains of Africa and Australia, baobabs may be amongst the oldest life forms on the planet. Many of the specimens standing today have been around for well over two thousand years. Tremendous in size and bizarre in appearance, they have provided food, medicine, and places of refuge and worship to countless peoples, even on occasion serving as prisons and tombs.… Read more “Baobab trees – upside-down giants”

3000 year old olive tree … foremost tree in early human culture and commerce.

Uncrowned king of trees

May 2, 2017 / John Halkett

Among the foremost trees in early human culture and commerce was the olive. From the dawn of recorded history the olive has enjoyed a status and prestige not shared by any other plant. Although many of the events in the early story of the olive are shrouded in mystery, the tree has been feted as the precursor to modern civilization.

It was the olive tree that was acknowledged as ‘the first of trees’. In the Bible’s book of Judges, Chapter 9, Verse 8 is written: “The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.” The olive has been the uncrowned … Read more “Uncrowned king of trees”