Course CodeVHT117Fee CodeS2Duration (approx)100 hoursQualificationStatement of Attainment Are You a Eucalypt Enthusiast? Learn to Identify and Grow Eucalyptus cultivars Explore opportunities to work with Eucalypts, as a nurseryman, plant breeder, forester, gardener, landscaper, horticulturist, land manager, etc Wat Can You Get Out of this Course? When you learn about a lot of different Eucalyptus species, you are going to make better choices about what species to grow. You will avoid costly plant losses, and what you do grow will be more likely to grow faster, avoid disease or other problems, and achieve the purpose for which you have planted it. Eucalypts are one of the most important trees on the planet; and a genus that has a lot of potential for planting more widely: For timber production (forestry). For landscape improvement In rural places for soil stabilisation, erosion control, environmental management (eg. wind control) For land rehabilitation Lesson Structure There are 8 lessons in this course: Introduction Scope and Nature of Eucalypts Taxonomy; Review of the system of plant identification General characteristics of the Myrtaceae Family Subdivisions of the genus Eucalyptus; Macrantherae, Renantheroideae, Renantherae, Terminales, etc Popular subdivision into gums, box, stringybark, messmate, mallees, etc Hybrid Eucalypts History of Eucalypt taxonomy; botanical renaming and Corymbia Plant Name Pronunciation Eucalypt Flower Structure; inflorescence, flowers Eucalypt leaf structure Resources and further Information; nurseries, seed, herbaria, etc. Culture Soils and Soil Structure Soil Chemistry Nutrition Fertilizers Summary of Eucalypt characteristics and culture Planting technique Tree Guards Pest & disease that are commonly found on Eucalypts Watering Weed Control Soil Testing Propagation Scope and nature of Eucalypt Propagation Treatment of Seed during Germination Substrates for starting seed Transplanting Seedlings Potting up Commonly grown Varieties of Eucalypts Scope and Nature of Eucalypt Culture in Australia and elsewhere around the World Review of many commonly cultivated Eucalyptus and Corymbia species Other important groups. Introduction Hybrid Eucalypts Why Breed Eucalypts Review of Mallee Eucalypts Review of Gums Lesser grown varieties. Boxes Bloodwoods Peppermints Strigybarks Ironbarks Making the best use of Eucalypts Introduction Timber Production Oil Production Where to Plant Eucalypts; amenity trees, natural and bush gardens, xeriscapes Agroforestry Techniques for Planting on SlopesPlanting on Arid Sites Growing in Dry Areas; overcoming dry conditions, sandy soils Eucalypts and Fire Management Windbreak Planting Plant Selection Understanding Plant Interelationships Special Assignment Problem Based Learning Project Plan the establishment of a collection of different cultivars of Eucalypts eg. Gums, Mallees, Tall Trees, Short Trees, or Dryland Species, suited to growing in a specified locality. Aims Describe the classification of Eucalypts. Discuss general cultural requirements for growing Eucalypts. Propagate Eucalypts. Differentiate between identifiable characteristics and cultural requirements in a number of commonly cultivated Eucalypts. Discuss characteristics of a wider range of Eucalypt species. Describe commercial uses for a range of different Eucalyptus species. Plan the establishment of a collection of different cultivars of Eucalypts (eg. Gums, Mallees, Tall Trees, Short Trees, Dryland Species), suited to growing in a specified locality. What Are The Different Types of Eucalypts? The genus Eucalyptus is divided into 8 sections as follows: (Sections can be distinguished by structure of the anthers (ie. male parts of the flower which produce the pollen you need a magnifying glass or microscope to distinguish apart). A. SECTION MACRANTHERAE Anthers are versatile, normally large. Includes E.erythrocorys, E.tetraptera, E.calophylla, E.diversifolia, E.platypus. B. SECTION RENANTHEROIDEAE Anthers versatile, broad parallel, sublique cells, large gland at tip or sub tip. Includes E.pyriformis. C. SECTION RENANTHERAE Anthers subversatile. Includes E.radiata, E.marginata D. SECTION PORANTEROIDEAE Anthers adnate, globular, subcuenate to reniform OR Anthers nearly all perfect. Includes E.microcarpa, E.albens, E.bicolor. E. SECTION TERMINALES Many of the filaments without anthers, anthers adnate, erect or oblique on filament, cells normally distinct opening in ovate slits or circular pores at the tip. Includes E.sideroxylon, E.leucoxylon. F. SECTION GRACILES Outer filaments infertile and much longer than inner fertile filaments. Includes E.fracilis, E.calcycogna. G. SECTION MICRANTHERAE Anthers open in front (not on top) in broad oval pores. Filaments normally fertile. Includes E.micranthera, E.cneorifolia. H. SECTION PLATYNANTHERAE Anthers open in front or along sides with long slits or pores. Includes E.gilli, E.macrocarpa, E.salmonophloia. The above subdivision of eucalyptus is scientific, and as such very precise. Other methods (less precise) also exist for classifying Eucalypts into different groups. Perhaps the most common one is the following: This method is based on differences in the appearance of the bark or the trunk. Hybrid Eucalypts Eucalypts hybridize very easily. Many seedlings found growing both in home gardens and in the wild are very difficult to identify because they are in fact a cross seedling between two other varieties growing nearby. If you can identify the others in the vicinity, you may be able to take an educated guess at what the hybrid is. Who Can Study This Course? All sorts of people, for all sorts of reasons: Gardeners Arborists and Tree Surgeons Landscape designers Farmers Botanists Forestry workers Horticulturists Nurserymen Plant Breeders Anyone with a passion for trees or who works with trees HOW TO ENROL Click box below on left hand side -follow instructions. IF YOU NEED ADVICE - click here to use our FREE ADVISORY SERVICE