I live just down the road from a 30M tall Morton bay fig that is on
it's last legs. I'd like to get some replacements going from it. As
it stands, my wife pulled one seedling out from a gutter, and before
it was mowed, it was surviving. While it was living in a pot it was
perfectly happy.

I don't intend to make the same mistake with the next one, so want to
plant it out as an epiphyte. I'm pretty certain the land I am
planting out (private land which I have an interest in, and some
control of how it's planted) is big enough and far enough from houses
to fit four mature fig trees as well as others.

Anyway, I found another one growing at the bottom of a fence the other
day, about 30 cm tall, so I tore it out (salvaging as much root as
possible) and put it straight in a pot with soil. As with the last
one it didn't miss a beat. 24 hours later, it is quite happy, hasn't
wilted, and one of the new leaves is uncurling.


So, does anyone have any experience with planting epiphytes of this
nature? Any advice on techniques to help ensure success would be great.

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"Andrew G" writes:

"Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish" wrote in message
... SNIP
So, does anyone have any experience with planting epiphytes of this
nature? Any advice on techniques to help ensure success would be
great.


I am not sure what you mean by planting them as epithytes.

Sorry, I want to grow a strangler rather than a ground dwelling tree.

.... You mention the tree is on its last legs.

Sorry, I didn't mean to give that impression.


It's a pity, 'cos the best way to propagate them is aerial
layering. Basically you choose a branch approx the thickness of a
broom handle, and a foot or 2 from the end of the branch remove some
bark by making a light cut around the branch, then another a couple
of inches along, and remove the bark between the cuts. Pack some
moist sphagnum(sp?) moss around the wound, then wrap alfoil around
the moss, tying string at each end of the foil to seal it. Roots
will form in the moss, then you can cut off the branch at the
section with roots and plant it. Instant plant!

I guess that it's not in the outside realms of possibility that you
could do air layering directly onto tree bark or into a crack, with a
suitably advanced specimen, with a bit of extra help form sphagnum or
similar.

Thanks for the advice.

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