Re: "Golden Oak of Cyprus"
Kurt,
Our native Arbutus menziesii is entirely dependent upon underground
mycorrhizal networks. The symbiotic relationship with these
ectomychorrhizae (fungi having their fruiting bodies above the ground)
is essential. Without them, the ability of the plant to absorb water is
greatly decreased. This is why you hear people say you can kill them if
you overwater them - not so. They appear to need water but no matter
how much you pour on, they don't benefit from it. In return, the tree
supplies the fungi with essential sugars the year round. While these
relationships are not fully understood, we do know enough to innoculate
the soil with a commercial mychorrhiza as is being done in southern
California in restoration of ecosystems and revegetation with native
plants. The current issue of the quarterly Journal of the American
Rhododendron Society has an article I've written on this subject.
Diane Pertson
Otter Point Haven otterpt@macn.bc.ca
Nature Notes from Vancouver Island
http://zapbc.com/nature.htm at
Parksville & Qualicum Beach Online http://zapbc.com
----- Original Message -----
From: William Bade <bade@math.berkeley.edu>
To: <K1MIZE@aol.com>
Cc: <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 1999 12:49 PM
Subject: Re: "Golden Oak of Cyprus"
> Dear Kurt,
> I tried to grow the Golden Chinquapin years ago, after purchasing one
at
> the plant sale at the East Bay Regional Botanic Garden sale in
Berkeley,
> California. The plant thrived as long as it was in a pot, but when I
> placed it in the garden it slowly died. Wayne Roderick, the Director
of
> the Botanic Garden, said he never had success growing it in the open
> ground, only in the two large pots at the Garden. It is believed that
> there is a symbiotic relationship between the roots and some sort of
> mycorhizal element in the soil where it grows naturally, and that this
> relationship is hard to duplicate in the garden. It is a beautiful
plant.
>
> There are other mycorhizal relationships in gardening, and it is an
> interesting subject to think about. I understand that some cycads also
> have mycorhizal relationships. When I saw cycads growing as underneath
> eucalyptus in Australian forests (we have difficulty growing plants
> underneath eucalyptus here) I wondered if the cycad mycorhizae (sp?)
> helped?
> Elly Bade
>
> On Sat, 24 Apr 1999 K1MIZE@aol.com wrote:
>
> > Nancy:
> >
> > There are a couple of species of an oak relative known as Chinquapin
> > (Castanopsis sp.) which are native to the western US and which occur
as far
> > north as Washington state, which closely resemble the description
you give
> > for the Golden Oak of Cyprus, but which have small, hard-shelled,
edible nuts
> > in chestnut-like burs. The Giant Chinquapin (Castanopsis
chrysophylla) makes
> > a tree 14-45 m. tall. The leaves are lanceolate, 5-15 cm. long,
dark green
> > above, and golden-tomentose beneath. The Golden Chinquapin (C.
chrysophylla
> > var. minor) makes a shrub or small tree to ~ 5 (10) m. tall. The
leaves of
> > this variety are folded upward on each side along the midrib, giving
the
> > entire plant a golden color. One of these might be easier to find
and would
> > probably be better suited to your neck of the woods.
> >
> > Kurt Mize
> > Stockton, California
> > USDA Zone 9
> >
> >
>
