in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - Davidsonia

68ery around 1980/1981. It appears this plant was derived from from theoriginal Birr Castle plant (private communication from Peter Dummerto Roy Lancaster). Dummer, who was Hillier’s master propagator untilhis retirement in the 1980s, remembers receiving the cuttings from BirrCastle and rooting them under mist using a hormone powder and gettingabout 45% rooting strike. The Hudson plant initially grew well to4.5m (15 ft), but collapsed in a very dry summer despite heavy watering.A new basal sprout arose emerged and formed a mature 12m (39 ft)tree that flowers every year. Fruit and seed production depend on seasonalweather. Viable seed capsules only develop at the terminal flowerof each inflorescence, which suggests an origin from hermaphroditeflowers. Cuttings root well but never seem to thrive, and all have so fardied. The two oldest plants of seven grown from self-seed are now 9m(29.5ft) high and flower and fruit regularly. The Hudsons also grow onePW plant, but it has not yet flowered or fruited. They report that thisGuizhou tree has a more spreading habit than the more upright Wilsonintroduction, although Wilson maintained that his introductions hadflat-headed wide spreading crowns.Part 2 R. LancasterCarrierea calycina in British cultivationThe only tree of note I have seen in British or Irish cultivation isfrom the famous Wilson collection, presumably W. 1212, of 1908 collectedfor the Arnold Arboretum and growing at Birr Castle in Co.Offaly, Ireland. This tree, planted in 1916 was 16m (52ft) x 39cm (15in)when measured in 2000 for the Tree Register of Ireland. The recordshows that this tree was purchased from Veitch Nursery during the closingdown sale in 1914, which suggests that seed was sent by Wilson directlyto Veitch, although it is equally possible that the nursery receivedit as seed or as plants from the Arnold Arboretum. Curiously, plants ofCarrierea were being offered as early as 1912 by the Daisy Hill Nurseryof Newry, Co. Down who described it in their catalogue as an evergreenshrub.