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Australian Native Trees

Australian Native Trees

Course Code
VHT115
Payment Options
Upfront & Payment Plans
Delivery
Online & Correspondence
Duration
100 Hours

Australian Native Trees

Learn to identify and grow a wide range of Australian Native Trees

This is a serious course for the plant enthusiast, collector, nurseryman, landscaper or aspiring horticulturist.

  • 100 hours of learning
  • Tutored by qualified, Australian Plant experts with decades of experience
  • Course developed by a team of experts led by John Mason, nurseryman, parks director , author of Growing Australian Natives" (pub. Simon & Schuster) and over 40 other books.

We mostly use Australian plants as garden specimens but they have many other valuable domestic and commercial uses. In the home garden we grow native plants to attract birds and wildlife. Native plants are also grown for their distinctive flowers, foliage and fruits which are highly valued by florists and craftspeople. Other useful products from native plants include essential oils, bush tucker and timber.

WHAT'S IN THE COURSE?
 

The content of each of the eight lessons is as outlined below:‑

  1. Introduction
    Review of the system of plant identification
    Genus, Species
    Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons
    Characteristics of main Australian Plant Families
    General characteristics of native trees
    Information contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs, etc.)
    History of nomenclature
    International Code
    Ranks of Taxa
    Principle of priority
    Selection and spelling of plant names
    Changing names
    Hybrids
  2. Culture
    Planting Procedure
    Planting on slopes
    Fertilizer
    Time of planting
    Staking
    Mulching
    Pruning native trees
    Steps in removing a branch from a tree
    Soils (Physical, chemical, biological structure)
    Soil profile
    Improving soil profile
    Colloids
    Water and air
    Soil temperature
    Soil life
    Soil Problems (Loss of soil fertility, Erosion, Salinity, Soil compaction, Soil acidification, Build up of dangerous chemicals)
    Improving soils (soil additives etc)
    Limestone Underlay Technique
    Fertilisers
    Fertilising established trees
    Plant Nutrition
    Water Problems
    Drainage
  3. Propagation
    Choosing the right propagating technique
    Seed
    Seed sources
    Hybrid seed production
    Storing seed
    Difficult seeds
    Dormancy facftors
    Maintaining genetic identity
    Propagating Media
    Propagating Eucalypts
    Propagating Acacias
    Cuttings
    Improving curtting success rates
    Grafting
    Top graft
    Whip & Tongue graft
    Irrigated graft
    Grafting selected plants ... Eucalypts, Grevilleas, Banksias, Hakeas
    After care of seed and cuttings
    Transplanting (seedlings, cuttings)
    Potting up plants and Growing on
  4. Most Commonly Grown Varieties
    Review dozens of relevant genera
    Allocasuarina
    Casuarina
    Melia
    Pittosporum
    Acacia
  5. More About Important Groups
    Eucalyptus
    Banksia
    Brachychiton
    Grevillea
    Diagnosing Tree Problems
    Tree Surgery Techniques
  6. Other Varieties
    Rainforest Trees
    Constructing a Rainforest
    Acmena
    Eugenia
    Mallotus
    Melicope (Euodia)
    Neolitsia
    Nothofagus
    Schefflera
    Stenocarpus
    Syzygium
    Aracaria
    Agathis
    Actinostrobus
    Callitris
    Podocarpus
    Adansonia
    Agonis
    Albizzia
    Alstonia
    Alphotinia
    Angophora
    Barklya
    Buckinghamia
    Castenospermum
    Elaeocarpus
    Ficus
    Macadamia
    Melia
    Nuytsia
    Tristania/Lophostemon
  7. Making The Best Use of Native Plants
    Why plant trees in the Landscape
    Problems with trees
    Biological controls
    Parasitism
    Symbiosis
    Planting Techniques (Pocket planting, slope serrration, Wattling, Planting arid sites, Direct seeding, Spray seeding)
    Edible Australian Tree Crops (Davidsonia, Quandong, Backhousia, Citrus, Acacia, Syzygium, Tasmannia, Kunzea)
    Australian indigenous timber trees
    Essential oils
    Useful Australian Conifers (Actinostrobus, Athrotaxus, Agathis, Araucaria, Callitris, Podocarpus)
    Australian Indigenous Palms
  8. Special Assignment
    You select and conduct an in depth study of one plant genus or group (eg. Timber trees, conifers, trees from a particular region)

NB: Tree Identification is an important part of this course. You will develop a systematic approach to tree identification based upon a knowledge of plant families and the taxonomic system.

Aims

  • To identify a wide variety of trees that are indigenous to Australia
  • To describe the culture of Australian Native Trees.
  • To propagate Australian Native Trees
  • Compare characteristics and cultural requirements of different commonly grown species of Australian Native Trees.
  • To compare characteristics and cultural requirements of conifer and rainforest species of Australian Native Trees.
  • To describe a range of uses for Australian native trees.
  • To study one type of Australian Native Tree in depth.

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