Meyrik Farm has a small dam, about the size of a large pool, at the edge of a cliff with beautiful views of the valley below. It used to be bone dry due to many years of drought in the region, but has received water since. We noticed that a lot of silt would run […]
Resin balls can usually be found on the exposed trunk of grasstrees and should break off easily. If they don't feel like they will come off easily then leave them in order not to damage the plant. They can also be found around the bottom of the trunk. Resin dissolves very well in alcohol but […]
Germination temperatures for Xanthorrhoea johnsonii seeds from south-east Queensland ranges from 13 - 31 degrees C, with optimal temperature being around 18 - 27 degrees C. Below 9 degrees C and above 35 degrees C germination does not seem to happen. Seeds generally germinate on average in about 12 - 14 days, with heavier or […]
When leaves are lost through fire, being cut, or eaten, the mineral phosphorus is mobilized from the trunk to the crown to encourage new leaf growth. According to Lamont et al. (2004) grasstree leaves usually survive for more than 2 years, but when they start to die 80% of the phosphorus in the leaves are […]
Fire tolerance for Xanthorrhoeas or Grasstrees will differ between species according to Borsboom (2005). Even though they are highly combustible they do have the ability to accumulate a significant amount of fuel usually in the form of starch to help them survive fire and droughts. Post-fire stored starch tends to reduce as resources are used […]
