acacia melanoxylon

Help!! I've had conflicting info about this tree and really need some clarification. I was assured by a local nursery that it can withstand coastal exposure and is ok with the wind I recieve here. I want to grow it in a large pot in the wind tunnel between the shed and the house (for a while at least); and restrict it's size by pruning after flowering (again I was assured I could do this). However, googling has provided me with mixed results now I've bought the damn thing (expensive too).The nursery specialises in coastal plants, so do I take their word for it? Has anyone any experience of this tree in a windy setting? :confused:

 

I've got quite a largeish one and I dont think its really suitable for a container, it grows big very quickly, and doesn't flower when small.
Also the flowers are not that exciting, I find.
It is however pretty hardy and grows a sturdy stem and good root system, it also suckers.
I could be wrong, the specialist nursery should know what they are talking about, there could be differing forms of the plant.

 

Thanks Pete,
I was hoping to keep it in a pot because I'm worried about the size it might get to if I plant it in the garden :( Do you prune yours?

 

Yes, hard to keep it in bounds, here's a pic its not good, but as you can see it towers over my greenhouse and I cut about 5 to 6ft off the top every year.

Should add that because I cut it back so hard it doesn't flower.

 

Windy, unless you tie it down it'll blow over in a strong wind. My A Baileyana did and it is in a very large pot, I had to tie it to a fence post with twine and eye hooks.

 

Think I'll try it in a pot after all :eek: Just want a bit of shelter from the wind tunnel, and shade from the sun. Don't fancy clambering about up there trying to prune it! Agile I'm not

 

Strongy, will do that, thanks

 

Strongy,
forgot to ask, do I tie just the pot or the stem too? Think I'll cable tie it to the trellis for the winter, hopefully that will stop it rolling about the garden

 

Windy, I tied the stem but wrapped some tape round it first to prevent chaffing.

 

Thanks strongy,
think I'll do it with several of my pots, although hopefully a lot of them might actually be in the ground by then!

 

Hi all,
This tree has lived quite happily in its pot, loads of new growth but now some of the leaves have gone yellow and dropped off. Help!!!

 

I think its greedy windy, it could just be the lower leaves dropping off, what size pot is it in?
Feeding might help.
As I said earlier, I dont think its the right type of acacia for growing in a pot long term.

 

Thanks Pete,
I'll give it a feed. I'm just about to re-pot it into an enormous pot (actually the old water tank from the loft - recycling at it's best!) I'm going to try it like that until next year, and then decide what to do with it. But if next door keep winding me up it might just find itself in the garden that bit sooner :D
Thanks again