Convening of the Nerds

[Guest]

Xanthorrhoea glauca, Xanthorrhoea pressii, Xanthorrhoea johnsonii
aka, Grass Trees grow only in Australia and mature specimens such as these are centuries old.
Fortunately, indeed miraculously, these have escaped the ravages of bush fires that leaves them black and charred.

I stumbled upon these beautiful specimens quite by chance when exploring the backroads of NE Victoria.

They are very slow growing, about 1 metre per 100 years and may live up to 600 years.
The central stalk grows at a rate of 2-3cm a day and flowers about once every 3 years.

Convening of the Nerds

[Ross the fiddler]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

Ah! But what a grand nerd. I love the grass trees & got into trouble when I referred to it by its old racially offensive name when I bought our last one. I need to post some macro shots of the bugs, spiders etc on a flower spike & I will make sure I identitify which Xanthorrhoea it is.

[Ellie]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

Interesting plants, not sure if I've even seen them in garden centres.

The middle picture made me smile, they might be slow growing, but those plants look almost as if they're trying to walk away!

[StephenL]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

Fascinating plants, well taken.

[Cathrine Stephansen]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

I love grass trees! They are spectacularly wierd and photogenic as are a lot of the Australian endemic species. I'm having trouble accepting that I'm not scheduled to go back until 2013. Fern trees are cool too.

I wonder why I find that place so wonderful? There are only a few living things I really hate: Spiders, snakes and sharks, and my favourite place in the world is Australia. Any psychologists on this forum by any chance?

[s785]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

Is it just me who sees a herd of yaks (or maybe hairy cows of some other variety) grazing in the second picture?

The bottom of the plant looks like a head.

[wanderer]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

I stumbled upon these beautiful specimens quite by chance when exploring the backroads of NE Victoria.

Your not the man that found the Wollemi Pine in a box canyon round your way are you?

Fascinating looking plants.

Duncan

[Greytop]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

Certainly an interesting species, they almost look like a fashion statement... fur coat with hairstyle

Thanks for sharing

[Ross the fiddler]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

Certainly an interesting species, they almost look like a fashion statement... fur coat with hairstyle

Thanks for sharing

They are , well for the garden. That's why they cost so much (apart from the very slow growth) & why they have to be a protected plant. It would be easy to take a spade out to Hawkesbury Heights where a number of them are growing (naturally) & dig a few up, but besides it spoiling it for others, it comes with a decent fine.

You're not the man that found the Wollemi Pine in a box canyon round your way are you?

Actually the Wollimi National Park http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/na....aspx?id=N0051 is just on the north side of Blue Mountains National Park. The actual location (of the Wollemi Pines) would be difficult to get into as well as being a protected site & no, I haven't been there, but I don't know about Mark (pandora). The Wollemi Pine has been propagated for a number of years now & can be bought but I don't have one in my backyard.

[Zuiko]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

Wiered and fascinating, they look almost alive in the animal sense of the word!

[Ross the fiddler]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

Is it just me who sees a herd of yaks (or maybe hairy cows of some other variety) grazing in the second picture?

The bottom of the plant looks like a head.

and they're all turning green with envy of the cows in the other paddock.

[s785]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

and they're all turning green with envy of the cows in the other paddock.

I decided not to mention to green explosions coming out of the yak's.. nether regions.

In fact my squinting version of this picture only really works on the bottom half!

[Barr1e]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

Fascinating plants, well taken.

I think so too.

Regards. Barr1e

[Guest]

Re: Convening of the Nerds

FIRST an apology to all for a late reply.
I have been preoccupied elsewhere with matters domestic.

Ah! But what a grand nerd.

Thanks Ross!

Your not the man that found the Wollemi Pine in a box canyon round your way are you? Fascinating looking plants. Duncan

Certainly an interesting species, they almost look like a fashion statement... fur coat with hairstyle Thanks for sharing

It was the mimicry of human attitudes that I found so amazing in this colony of grass trees.

Interesting plants, not sure if I've even seen them in garden centres. The middle picture made me smile, they might be slow growing, but those plants look almost as if they're trying to walk away!

I saw them more like they were in a huddle over something.

Fascinating plants, well taken.

Thanks Stephen.

I love grass trees! They are spectacularly wierd and photogenic as are a lot of the Australian endemic species. I'm having trouble accepting that I'm not scheduled to go back until 2013. Fern trees are cool too.
I wonder why I find that place so wonderful? There are only a few living things I really hate: Spiders, snakes and sharks, and my favourite place in the world is Australia. Any psychologists on this forum by any chance?

Is it just me who sees a herd of yaks (or maybe hairy cows of some other variety) grazing in the second picture? The bottom of the plant looks like a head.

Your not the man that found the Wollemi Pine in a box canyon round your way are you? Fascinating looking plants. Duncan

Certainly an interesting species, they almost look like a fashion statement... fur coat with hairstyle Thanks for sharing