Posted by Hans Prins
on 10/25/2009, 11:35 pm
81.206.21.140
Dear members,
I am not an active member on this board; i rather work in my garden and nursery in the northern part of the netherlands. But every now and then i take a look at this board as eucalypts are so fascinating! Especially during rainy weather like we have today, i spend extra time behind my computer.
One the fascinating aspects of eucalyptus for me is the creation of new trees by interspecific hybridisation. From Milligan's i received nitens x perriniana seeds last year. The seedlings from this cross were not uniform. About 50% grew fast like nitens (but not quite as straight)and looked similar to nitens. I planted 5 of the most vigorous ones in an open, unprotected place next to a paddock in early summer 2008. These seedlings are now over 2 meters tall and did not suffer at all from the long, cold winter we had this year that killed a 3 year old nitens tree on a protected spot!
The other 50% of the hybrid seedlings grew much slower, with smaller, more blueish leaves. I planted 3 of them in autumn and lost only one. It seems to me that this hybrid might be of great interest for gardeners in the coastal regions of north western europe.
Now here comes my question:
Does any of you know what hardy species hybridise with each other? i.e. does anybody know of a cross-reference list?
so far I know that the following hybrids do exist:
gunnii x nitens
gunnii x dalrympleana
globulus x nitens
nitens x perriniana
in the search for increased hardiness it might be interesting to cross with debeuzevillei; another goal could be to introduce colour in the flowers of hardy eucalypts (gunnii x sideroxylon 'Rosea' for instance.
Does anybody know of neglecta-hybrids? Is there a possibility that plants from the pauciflora group hybridise with other eucalypts outside of this group?
These are just a few of the many questions that puzzle me. I hope someone has some information on this subject
cheers
Hans
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