Eucalyptus forrestiana – update, I know how it died

A bloody pest got in the roots and ate its way up the stem…I hesitate to call it a “trunk” as it was still so young. Anyway, I pulled up the dead plant yesterday and there was the proof, a bloody great hole running right up the middle and out one side. All sub-surface.

So, at least I now know what got it, if not the exact species. It must have been a pretty substantial beasty though because the hole is not small. Well, at least I know and don’t have to wonder if I under/over watered/fed/mulched/talked to it.

I’ve decided to definitely replace it with a euaclyptus erythrocorys, and I’m going to put in a hakea laurina nearby too, in case the erythrocorys croaks too. H. laurina (aka Pin cushion hakea) looks to be a total beauty (aren’t they all).

Right oh, short but sweet.

E erythrocorys growing in the local estuary reserve. I caught it at dawn and the light was stunning.

E erythrocorys flower…stunner.

Hakea laurina – picture poached from the Flickr account of Westflora (Russel Dhans). His pictures are outstanding and he seems to be very thorough about getting his names right too. A great source of images on plants!