Toromiro

Aloha,

[Sorry Eureka I must have accidentally copied your message. Not sure what happened to my prior post but I'll try again.]

Toromiro fruit and seeds looks very much like Hawaii's endemic mamane (Sophora chrysophylla). Leaves and habit appear different though.

I have a toromiro from an air layer about 2 1/2 feet tall in a one gallon pot. I have the plant in a shaded area. It receives an application of slow release Nutricote 13-13-13 every six months and a monthly foliar feeding of kelp emulsion and EM.

My question is: How old or mature does toromiro begin flower? And what will initiate flowering?

Any other cultural needs would be much appreciated too.

Mahalo,
dave

dave wrote:

Aloha, [Sorry Eureka I must have accidentally copied your message. Not sure what happened to my prior post but I'll try again.] Toromiro fruit and seeds looks very much like Hawaii's endemic mamane (Sophora chrysophylla). Leaves and habit appear different though. I have a toromiro from an air layer about 2 1/2 feet tall in a one gallon pot. I have the plant in a shaded area. It receives an application of slow release Nutricote 13-13-13 every six months and a monthly foliar feeding of kelp emulsion and EM. My question is: How old or mature does toromiro begin flower? And what will initiate flowering? Any other cultural needs would be much appreciated too. Mahalo, dave

Mate

U and I both are raw recruits in growing the prized toromiro.

I recently planted seeds, and have about a dozen seedlings coming thru.

I looked at the internet -- usually a mine of info -- but came up with very little.

So, here's what I can profer.

Indirect feedback that I get is that u will have to wait 6 or more years before fruiting (ie seeding).

How to grow it for best results?

Well, internet said: it needs "some of lots of sun", whatever that means.
On Easter Island, it grew in the "boundary regions ... of ... forests". So much for the internet.

Now, toromiro is a legume (produces its own nitrogen) . It would tend to be a pioneer in the forested environment that once was Easter Island. In other words, full-sun. The specimen that Thor Heyerdahl took his seeds from would definitely have been in full sun.

Now, u'r in (Hawaii?), which is a good bit lower lattitude than Easter Island (27 deg). So, mebbe u should try semi-shade for best results. Am thinking this is the way I'l go, and I'm on the exact same latitide in Oz (27 deg S).

I would think again about your fertilizing program.

Your nutricote is 13% nitrogen, 13% phosphorus, 13% potassium. The toromiro should be producing inuf nitrogen to feed itself. So, the nitrogen in the fertilizer is certainly redundant, and may even be doing some harm.

With the foliar feeding, I do know that toromiro is quite sensitive to chemicals on its leaves. Do u notice any damage on the leaves after foliar feeding?

I question the necessity of the foliar feed.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Boris

Hi Spiniflores,
I don't know if you still join this site but if you do so, I would ask you if you could obtain some seeds of the S. Torormiro. I was looking all over the net to find them. The raison why I desperatly seeking it is because I have some affinity with Easter Iland. I visited it about 20 years ago and hope in the near future to go back. I'm planning to build a greenhouse in my graden where de surviving of Toromiro should not be a problem. So can you contact me please by this forum, ik would be great!!
If somebody else could help me don't hasitate!

I came back from Easter island a few weeks ago. While there I tried to see a live Toromiro. I visited the much neglected Manavai botanical gardens "maintained" by the Chilean KONAF, and took a picture of the dead tree they have there. (attached). I also took a picture of the place at which the last remaining tree was found, inside the Rano Kau crater, in a place shielded from winds. (attached too).
I live in Israel, and a place where pretty much everything grows, and if one of the members is willing to share a few seeds with me, I'll try to propagate the tree here. I belived that diverisity in the locations where Toromiro grows may ensure the survival of the species...


Gad

Hello

Now in Santiago de Chile our toromiros have new flowers and soon they will have fruits.
But there are some people here in Chile that thinks that toromiros from Las brujas de Talagante's nursery are not "real" toromiros... I have to check that untill keep sending more seeds.

here is a link of the Homepage of the Toromiro Management Group

www.kew.org/conservati...ro_t1.html

I visited Kew Gardens (London, England) and I took this pictures... better than the plants in Eastern Island "protected" by Conaf











I will try to post more info about the origin of this plants

happy new year!!

Juan

Juan

Can you please send or post pictures of your trees?

Also - Las brujas de Talagante nursery ship only to Santiago. Are they in Santiago? Have you visited them and seen the trees? Or have you just heard that their tress are not really Toromiro?

Has anybody on this forum experience dealing with the Las brujas de Talagante nursery? Specifically buying Totomiro from them?

Thanks

Gad

Hello

this is one of the biggest Toromiro in Las Brujas Nursery. We live very close to them.

spiniflores wrote:

and adult plant, aprox 2,3 mt fruits

at 150 km from Santiago, there is a botanical garden in Valparaiso and they have some "documented" toromiros...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcdLH36qw00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNAHgXqEZBw

Juan

Very nice pics!

I can't play first video
Second I can, but not understand a word