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Nothofagus cunninghamii

Common name:	Myrtle Beech	Family:	Fagaceae
Author:	Hook.&Oerst.	Botanical references:	11, 154, 200
Synonyms:	Fagus cunninghamii (Hook.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Australia - Tasmania and Victoria.
Habitat:	Moist sheltered localities in temperate rainforests[154, 156].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Fagales. Beech family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen tree growing to 55m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 9. It is in leaf all year. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Canopy.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Wood.

Wood - strong, tough, close grained, light, polishes well. Used for joinery, cogs of wheels, furniture etc[154, 156, 167].

Cultivation details

Prefers an open well-drained loamy soil in a sunny position[1, 200]. Succeeds on most soils but dislikes calcareous soils[1, 200]. Prefers a pH between 5 and 7 but dislikes acid peats[200].
Plants are hardy to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[157], though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer colder and wetter winters. They only succeed outdoors in the milder areas of Britain[1]. Young plants at Crarae in western Scotland in 1992 appear to be very hardy and robust[191].
Plants in the wild vary in size from shrubs to very big trees according to rainfall and altitude[11].
Trees have poor wind resistance in Britain, probably because they grow so fast[11]. Another report says that this species is slow growing in cultivation[157].
Trees up to 4 metres tall can be successfully established, though the optimum size for transplanting is about 30 - 80cm. The roots are very sensitive to desiccation and extreme care should be taken when transplanting them[200]. Another report says that the tree transplants badly[154].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cool greenhouse or cold frame. Spring-sown seed requires 2 - 3 months stratification at 1 - 5°c[200]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed must not be allowed to dry out according to one report[80] whilst another says that the seed can be stored dry at 2°c for long periods[200].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 6 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[78].
Layering.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Fagaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[80] McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985 ISBN 0-901361-21-6
Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.

[154] Ewart. A. J. Flora of Victoria.
A flora of eastern Australia, it is rather short on information that is useful to the plant project.

[156] Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney 1981 ISBN 0-00-216441-8
A very readable book.

[157] Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0
A lovely book, written in order to encourage Australian gardeners to grow their native plants. A little bit of information for the plant project.

[167] Holliday. I. and Hill. R. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller Ltd. 1974 ISBN 0-85179-627-3
A well illustrated and very readable book, but it does not contain much information for the plant project.

[191] Letter from Crarae Garden, March 1993. - 1993
A list Nothofagus species growing at Crarae Garden in Scotland.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Readers Comments

Nothofagus cunninghamii

tank williams (tankwilliams@cooles.com.au/) Mon Nov 4 03:51:20 2002

this is german shiza

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Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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