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veteran
Join Date: Apr-2004
Location: Volcano
Country: Hawaii
Posts: 442
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Attila
I had a few conversation with Greg Brenden, the instructor, and he said that he didn't believe that the altitude is a factor either.
Also, there is a native tree nursery here in Topanga Canyon near Los Angeles (The Theodore Payne Foundation - see website), where they grow dozens of different manzanita species. The altitude is close to sea level and the manzanitas look in top health all the time.
Maybe Peter can pitch in here (aka. Maria Capra), he actually took the workshop.
What I've learne from Greg is that these shrubs are lime haters (ericaceous plants) and it's better to water them with distilled water or rainwater. They love acidic soil and if you hard prune a branch it will probably die back all the way to the trunk. You have to handle them in the least intrusive way. They love sun and don't mind heat, and grow extremely slow. A trunk of a collected tree about 1 inch thick may well be over a hundred years old.
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Interesting, We have acid soil, and rain, which is the water supply caught on the roof, maybe I should try to import some. I've always loved them and their larger cousin, madrone. Now THERE'S a tree! |