Comments on: Xanthorrhoea species (Grass Trees)

By: Corinne

Corinne — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:55:42 +0000

Are you perhaps over watering? At this time of the year they shouldn’t need very much unless you missed out on winter rains. My source suggests it may be beneficial to use a fungicide to drench the soil around the rootzone, then use a seaweed type product that promotes root growth. You may have fungal issues around the rootzone.

By: Sandra

Sandra — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:55:21 +0000

I have two mature grass trees about 2 metres high planted three years ago and gets most of the late morning sun.

We have clay soil and have removed the pots when we planted (a big no no according to many websites)

They was not much change for the for two years, then they produced their flower stalks but the never flowered, so I was told to cut them off to reduce any stress.

One tree has not produced any new leaves at all but the other has, and they seem to be browning on the ends of the foliage, in fact, each time I trim the older leaves back to halfway, they seem to brown again even futher up the foliage. Even the new leaves are beginning to brown on the ends.

I have treated them with Ground Breaker and Seasol in the past and have kept up their watering.

Can you please advise why this is happening and how can I improve their health – I dont want to lose them as they’re a great feature.

By: Corinne

Corinne — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:23:50 +0000

You are correct! I just checked my books and must have muddled them at the time of writing. Thanks for letting me know. I have edited the original post. My plant of X semiplana is beginning to take off. I raised it from seed years ago.

By: Katrina Love

Katrina Love — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 05:37:19 +0000

You said “Xanthorrhoea preissii does not make a trunk, whereas the other does.”

Xanthorrhoea preissii most certainly DOES grow a substantial trunk up to 3 metres!

By: Corinne

Corinne — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 11:27:09 +0000

Do you have the green tufts of leaves at the top of the plant? If those have gone then I suggest that you kave lost the plant. If you have green leaves above the yellow there is still hope. Cut off the yellowed leaves. The black spots suggest fungal disease and an unthrifty plant. Try a fungicide (ask at garden centre) on the leaves, water the root zone with seaweed solution to stimulate root growth and check the drainage around the plant. It may have been too wet for too long. If your soil is heavy, poke a fork into the ground around the trunk and sprinkle with gypsum, 1 Kg to the square metre, and water into the holes. This assists with opening up the soil around the root zone.

By: Emma

Emma — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:50:36 +0000

We have a beautiful massive grass tree in our front yard. Unfortunately it appears to be dying. The skirt has turned very yellow and the top has black spots on it.

I’m wondering if this is normal due to a change is season or if it is indeed dying..? Any help at all would be great… It’s such s beautiful plant and I love it… I would hate to see it die

Thanks,
Emma

By: Corinne

Corinne — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:30:04 +0000

If you are going to burn it it is the leaves that are burned. Burning is sometimes used to stimulate flowering. However, are you allowed to burn in your area? Quite frankly I don’t know how to do it. I would try a quick burn with the sole intention of tidying if it was possible to actually do the burning.

By: Zoe

Zoe — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 07:27:48 +0000

Hi
I have a blackboy that flowered this year. Very impressive. We want to tidy it up, do I burn the undergrowth of the blackboy to tidy it up. Do I burn the trunk / leaves ??? And if so how do I go about it?
Cheers
Zoe

By: Grant

Grant — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:37:36 +0000

Thankyou very much for the good news Corrine

By: Corinne

Corinne — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:53:24 +0000

A separate new flower stem will grow. The old ones are sometimes left because they can be decorative, but usually cut back.