Return to the Conifers Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Big Cone Douglas Fir of CA
| | |
Posted by flattie NM, USA - 7b (My Page) on Wed, Nov 12, 08 at 21:57
| Is this plant in cultivation? It seems like it has amazing fire and drought regenerative capabilities, and might work well in cultivation further inland in the USA. If anyone knows of nursery or seed sources chime in...General info would be great too. The book Conifers of CA has a great write-up. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Big Cone Douglas Fir of CA
| | |
| Thanks, I wrote it. It's a neat tree. Unlike in NM it gets its rain in the winter -- summer monsoonal humidity might be an issue, though of short duration. Cold hardiness might be a problem. Have not seen it in cultivation. |
RE: Big Cone Douglas Fir of CA
| | |
- Posted by bboy z8 WA USA (My Page) on
Wed, Nov 12, 08 at 23:42
| As of a few years ago three were still growing in the Seattle arboretum and one was on the University of Washington campus (Seattle). The largest of these measured 46 1/2' x 3' 2". Its arboretum accession number indicates it dates from 1948. Just about the worst summer and winter known here occurred during 1955/56. According to witnesses (I wasn't born yet) it was like winter all summer, only to get hot late, in October. This was followed by a sudden Arctic front in November that lasted for some time. When it hit the temperature went from 60 degrees F. to 20 degrees F. the same day. Back when it was easily accessed by the public I used to look through the arboretum's files of accession records. These were full of plants no longer there, very often marked something like "Died in winter of 1955/56". Apparently the fir came through this, without lasting visible damage. In California commerce [by]1893. Exceedingly rare. It doesn't transplant well and is not as ornamental or cold-hardy as P. Menziesii ... Very few trees are as tolerant of drought --Jacobson, North American Landscape Trees (1996, Ten Speed, Berkeley) I think it was listed by forestfarm at one time but it's been awhile. |
RE: Big Cone Douglas Fir of CA
| | |
| I have one in the ground for one year. It did handle 7-8F with no visible damage. I have a very hard time taking care of chlorosis! Nice tree osprey |
RE: Big Cone Douglas Fir of CA
| | |
| There's a few in Britain which have never had any problems with either cool, wet summers or winter cold; the oldest are two at Bedgebury planted in 1926, both grafts on P. menziesii. A hot summer in the early 1980s appeared to trigger the first recorded coning here, but they have been producing cones regularly since after good summers. I find it more attractive than P. menziesii of the same size, particularly with its thick corky purple bark with yellow fissures, and broad crown with comb-like drooping branches. A tree that I think should be planted more often. The largest in Britain is one of the Bedgebury trees, 24m tall and 83cm diameter (1999 measurement). Resin |
RE: Big Cone Douglas Fir of CA
| | |
| Hi Resin Any up your way also do you know of a UK
source im after 3ft/1m plants i can't keep
seedlings alive for long could it be that
all comercial seed is from one tree? |
RE: Big Cone Douglas Fir of CA
| | |
| None in my area that I know of. Sorry, no idea where the commercial seed is from! Resin |
|
|
|
|
