Austrees? (Has Anyone Grown Them?)

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O.K., next question. Since the Paulownia does not appear to be a good choice for a quick growing tree, how about the Austree? Has anyone any experience with these, or information other than the sales pitch that most here are familiar with? We would be using them for a windbreak.

-- John Fritz (aeon30@hotmail.com), May 29, 2001

Answers

Response to Austrees?

John; We planted quite a few Austrees along the North edge of our property three or four years ago. We live in Eastern Colorado, about 30 miles east of Colorado Springs, where it is windy, dry and receives little snow in the winter. Most are anywhere from 8 to 15 feet tall now. They grow well, but not like the advertisement says. I think that is in VERY optimal conditions. We have a drip line on them, and they take a lot of water. Start easily from cuttings, don't seed at all. Where are you located? Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), May 29, 2001.

Response to Austrees?

What are Austrees? I know plenty of Australian trees, but nothing called an Austree. Is it, by any chance, Tasmanian bluegum - eucalyptus globulus? Grows fast and straight, leaves are a silvery bluish colour, fairly rounded in shape?

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), May 29, 2001.

Hello! We live in an arid, hot part of Texas, and I planted a bunch a while back. Despite regular watering, they did not survive the heat and dryness...... I feel if we had a milder climate thay might have made it. Also, I did not feel they grew as quickly as advertised, and I didn't think the made a very attractive tree, either.

-- Jennifer (oortiz@tstar.net), May 30, 2001.

We planted 20 Austrees about 5 years ago here in NW Ohio, and they are doing great! Some are larger than others due to the fact they get more water, but all in all, they grow very fast, and, the other post is correct, the cuttings grow like weeds if you just stick them down in the dirt, and keep them watered! (Not that I would know, since the papers that came with it state that it is against the law to propigate licensed plants-I just heard that they do! ;-) ) Our largest is probably close to 25' tall-and give quite a bit of shade! Overall, very happy with them! Good luck!

-- Joe (threearrs@wcnet.org), May 30, 2001.

Hi. These trees grow very fast and can be trimmed to grow as a "fence" around a piece of property, or can let run wild. We live in KY and these trees generally require a lot of water, but with the high humidity here, that isn't usually a problem (with the exception of the drought the past few years!). Good luck. Traci

-- Traci Davis (krystalgrace61@yahoo.com), May 30, 2001.


I went looking for the answer to Don's question (and because I was curious too) and found this site: http://www.hybridpoplars.com/austree.htm

They are also called a hybrid willow. Apparently, in Australia, they think they are a noxious weed! I suggest reading that site and it's links before deciding if you want this tree.

-- Joy F [in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), May 30, 2001.


Hi John -

My son was involved with the introduction of these trees in our area. And sooooo - naturally we ended up with one stuck right in the middle of our back yard. It started out about 4' tall. That was apx 5 y/a. The first few years, it's growth was kinda slow and then - BLAM! It took off! It's now about 30' tall!! A beautful, gracefull tree, but much more upright than what one expects when they think "willow".

They loose their leaves in the fall, but because the leaves are slim like a willow's leaf there is not much, if any, to rake. The wind pretty well takes care of them. A big plus in my book! :-)

Others have touched on this - the Austree IS a member of the willow family. Thus, likes water. It is a great tree when you have areas that you need to help eliminate wettness from.

A fellow down the road fom us planted them along the road as a windbreak/screen. They really didn't do much their first 2-3 yrs. So he topped them, apx by 1/3. They looked terrible and I thought for sure he had lost them. But the next year they just about doubled in size and this year they are doing fantastic still! Very thick!

And yes! They are propogated from cuttings! Same as a privot.

Hope this helped! :-)

Dottie

-- Dottie in MD (mother-ducker@webtv.net), May 30, 2001.


Austrees: OK, they're a black-willow hybrid. Another damned feral taking over Australia. They WILL produce seeds, which will wash downstream and then grow. They'll also root and grow from small twigs washed downstream. And they sucker to turn any tree into a thicket, then a forest. They are destroying Australian river systems - creating living almost-dams so water backing up and swirling around will destroy existing river-banks and start a cycle of rampant erosion.

On the other hand (or for Mitch's benefit, OTOH), if you could look into eucalyptus trees you might find what you need, My previous post mentioned blue gum - this is being used world-wide (Israel is a big user, as is South Africa), benefits from irrigation but doesn't need it; grows big, tall and fast. It's being recognised now as many local council's answer to sewage disposal. Once the sewage has been treated, they irrigate with the remaining effluent in blue-gum plantations. With water and fertiliser both, they're getting commercial logging out of a plantation in ten years (TEN YEARS).

If you were looking just for firewood, a tree called sugar-gum (don't recall the specific name, don't have the book with me) grows fast and big, good-burning hardwood, and will coppice about half a dozen times (i.e. six firewood harvests) from cut-back stump.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), May 31, 2001.


I've also been intrigued with this miracle tree which can be bush or wind row or shade tree, almost anything you'd desire if you prune it to be so. I live SE of Denver at 6420 ft, semi-arid clay/sand/bentonite soil, just wonderful environment for green things (not). I held off and am glad I did. The neighbors are planting them, close to their houses. One neighbor planted years back and said yes, they grow quickly if you water them to death but they die off like Lombardy Poplars at about the age of 8 to 10 yrs. I guess that means you get a nice shade tree for 1 year and never get to hang the hammock on them. Being that they're willow, I would fear them getting into the plumbing. I think that one should study the photos in the ads and note where the trees are placed and in what capacity before plopping them in urban areas for a quick fix to a shadeless area. That's my story & I'm stick'n to it.

-- Debbie Long (deb.long@firstdatacorp.com), August 14, 2001.

Living in a state that spends millions of dollars annually trying to eradicate the invasive imported Australian maleluca tree before it completely chokes off whatever is left of our Everglades and other natural swamps, please let me say this- PLEASE be very careful about introducing non-native flora and fauna to your area- you might regret it in a few years. Stick to plants/trees that are native to your area. It is better all around for the indiginous wildlife and the environment.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), August 14, 2001.


Well John,...I have the same questions you did and after reading all these postings,..I really dont know if this is the correct tree for me or ,..my state!?

-- Ed Noble (noble27@bright.net), September 05, 2001.

John We live in middle TN and planted 60 Austrees along our property line to form a "natural fence". We planted them (in late March)according to the instructions, using the planting tablets advertised with the trees. I also set up a time-scheduled watering system. The trees have grown at least double their height in just over a year. I pruned them back to 8 feet of height this past fall. I might add that I also used fertilizer tree spikes in the spring and fall for each tree. We haven't lost any trees, and they are definitely going to be a great natural fence. From my perspective, they can be a great windbreak.

-- Stephen Johnson (brotherj@onemain.com), January 17, 2002.

Hello, I'm a student at valencia community college in Florida. I'm doing research for my environmental science class and I've come across this sight. I will contribute what I know. The maleluca tree is a beautiful tree(as we have one here on campus) They were introduced to Florida when people were first settling here. They saw the everglades and thought that the maleluca tree(the austree) would be GREAT in getting rid of it so they could move in on that land. Well here we are years later and are spending millions of dollars in trying to get rid of this plant. It seems that if you burn it that it produces more seeds that spread like wild fire. Another problem about this plant is that the bark strips off as the tree grows and causes a mess around it.

-- Angela Fehr (earth_maiden_capricorn@yahoo.com), February 21, 2002.

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