Re: Monterey Pine
- To: Mediterannean Plants List <m*@ucdavis.edu>
- Subject: Re: Monterey Pine
- From: T* &* M* R* <t*@xtra.co.nz>
- Date: Wed, 09 Dec 1998 17:20:03 +1300
- References: <001d01be230a$8401ace0$d75de2d0@computer>
William A. Grant wrote:
>
> After having spent three weeks recently looking at old rose gardens in
> New Zealand, I could not but help worry about all those Monterey pines
> I saw in my travels on both islands.
Hi Bill,
The large-scale commercial plantings of Pinus radiata in NZ were started
in the late 20s or early 30s, but some individual trees were planted in
the late 19th C. Judging by these early plantings, the total life of the
species to senility and falling-over (or having to be cut down because
no longer safe) appears to be about 110-115 years in NZ. I saw some of
those trees just a few years before they came down - they were BIG
trees! About 120 feet high I think.
Commercial cropping, however, is done at about 30 years, by which time
radiata in NZ has grown into a big and reasonably mature tree. It seems
to like our climate and soils!
If we were to get the disease (or whatever it is) that is doing so much
damage in the USA, it would be a major commercial disaster here!
Tony
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand
