18 replies to this topic

[Shane V]

This species of Pencil Pine grows only in Tasmania above about 800 metres. It grows slowly to about 15 metres high and has a life span of anything up to 1300 years. It can be found growing around highland lakes and Tarns.

The King Billy Pine is a relative of this plant and there is a hybrid between the two species, called Laxifolia.

They regenerate by two methods, vegetatively (by suckering from the roots), and by seeds. Both the male and female seeds are found on the tree, the male seeds are found near the outside of the plant and the female near the centre.

The leaves are scale like and grow in a spiral formation. The branches grow in an upward direction giving the tree a rounded wedge shape overall.

It is susceptible to fire and Phytophthora cinnamomi. There are many areas where the Pencil Pine has been wiped out because of fire and in these areas the government has made it a fuel stove only area to preserve it and many other plants which are susceptible to fire.

The botanical name comes from the Greek words athro, which means 'crowded', taxis which means 'arrangement' and cupressoides, which means 'resembling cypress'.

[frank_in_oz]

Nice pics, have you been into the Walls of J to check them out????

[Mystic]

No, Frank, have not actually made it there yet. been in the area a few times, but not got to the walls. Tasmania...too many places...too few lifetimes to do it in LOL

[nineteenineteen]

Two great (and easily accessible) places to see Pencil Pines:

1. Cradle Mountain - especially the Dove Lake circuit & around Wombat Pool
2. Pine Lake - an extremely short boardwalk from the Lake Highway just north of the Great Lake (aka "the disappointing pond")



Although as Frank suggests, Walls of Jerusalem NP (if you fancy a bit of a hike:)).

[Mystic]

At Cradle Mt, if you take the very short Pencil Pines Falls walk from the visitors centre and keep following the boardwalk past the falls you end up on the "Rainforest City" walk, which is where the above pics were taken. 5 minutes away from the visitors centre.

[Mystic]

Very nice shots Coop. Those are very beautiful looking trees

[Shane V]

Very cool shots Coop.

[justcoop]

thank you gal's as you possabley figured out by now I love taking photos of trees, what got me with these two is the way the weather has formed them to grow to protect themselves from the harsh winds where they were located.

[Mystic]

Love the shots and shapes Coop, especially the bottom one that looks as though conifer shapes have formed on the main trunk.

[justcoop]

I must also add they can be found around Lake Dobson way up the top of Mt Feild National Park as where these photo's were taken by Me!

[Crooked Nose]

Does Pencil Pine (the cone-shaped tree) make a good sound break?

[Mystic]

Welcome to the forums Crooked Nose

Interesting question, but if you are asking about the Tasmanian Native variety, then I doubt many would have tried to use them in this way as they are very slow to grow, and tend to survive best above 800m. Both factors would make them unlikely choices for domestic planting.

[Crooked Nose]

Mystic, on 02 January 2012 - 09:55 AM, said:

Welcome to the forums Crooked Nose

Interesting question, but if you are asking about the Tasmanian Native variety, then I doubt many would have tried to use them in this way as they are very slow to grow, and tend to survive best above 800m. Both factors would make them unlikely choices for domestic planting.

hmm, ok. thanks. Do you know of any plant that could act as a sound-break?

[Cascade]

I guess it depends on the noise level.

I developed a quiet area surrounded by various variaties of flowering tea tree.They now stand around 2 metres high and are almost inpenitrable on foot. They were planted 1 metre apart with a second row 1/2 metre in front of the first row also spaced 1 metre apart with the second row plants in line with the centre of the gap between plants in the first row.... If that makes any sense. Will grab a pic in the next couple of days and upload it to give you a better idea. The bonus is the birds love them and the scent is wonderful when in flower.

[Cascade]

As promised earlier

Area fenced of ready to develop




Area being made use of while thoughts and ideas are processed.




Area a few months after planting the Tea Trea plants.




As it is today... Still work in progress.. I intend to build a yurt or some such structure.

[Shane V]

Nice work Cascade. How long ago did you start it?

[Cascade]

Shane V, on 08 January 2012 - 11:42 AM, said:

Nice work Cascade. How long ago did you start it?

I built the rock wall early 2005 and changed the fencing around the area in mid 2006 and cleared and sprayed anything that lived. Grew potatoes and pumpkins in 2007 to utilize the ground and improve the soil a little.The first photo was January 2006. The second one is February 2007, the third one is from September 2008 and the fourth one was taken a coulpe of days ago.

[Mystic]

Very nice work, a yurt would be great. I have always had a secret passion for yurts

[Shane V]

Nice area. looks like it would be a nice place to sit and watch the sun go down